Grand coalition: Merkel wants to rule entire legislature

The Chancellor announces that he will remain in office in a large coalition until 2021. At the same time, Merkel justifies the move to leave the SPD to the financial department.

Grand coalition: Merkel wants to rule entire legislature

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) wants to rule until 2021 and thus entire legislature, if SPD members agree to negotiated coalition agreement. "I am one of people who have promised to comply," she said in a recording of ZDF broadcast Berlin directly. In event that SPD members reject treaty, Merkel did not choose to re-enter new election.

Merkel also announced that he wanted to retain CDU presidency. "For me, se two offices are in one hand to be able to run a stable government," said party leader. She did not see her authority in CDU damaged, she stressed. In background are demands from CDU that Merkel should also prepare her succession. She merely said that it is clear that after twelve years of office a succession debate will take place.

Merkel also justified decision to leave Ministry of Finance in coalition negotiations of SPD. The decision provoked strong criticism especially in CDU. This step has been painful, but it is acceptable from your point of view. "We certainly paid a price for a stable government as a CDU," Merkel said. The alternative was that no government would have come into being. The decision would have made you and CDU leaders "very conscious". The broad guidelines of fiscal policy were agreed in coalition agreement, Merkel said. In this respect, a SPD finance minister could not do what he wanted. The Union will pay attention to this.

Merkel stressed that even after retreat of SPD chief Martin Schulz, it would remain in negotiated division. She emphasized that CDU is now once again occupying Ministry of Economic Affairs and that building sector had been brought into CSU-led Ministry of Interior.

Cabinet list before party congress

Merkel wants to present list of CDU ministers and ministers in a possible grand coalition, according to his own testimony, before Special party Congress on 26 February. Normally, according to Merkel, CDU would wait until after SPD membership decision to know wher Social Democrats agree to negotiated coalition agreement at all. But with a view to CDU party congress, it is now important to tell delegates who should become ministers. The result of SPD membership decision is not to be available until beginning of March.

Merkel announced a mixture of young and experienced CDU ministers. "We're making a relist altoger," she said. The party leader, in doing so, was a step ahead of her critics. The chairman of Young Union, Paul Ziemiak, had asked on weekend that division of departments should be clear before party congress. In recent days, several union politicians have also asked Merkel to set "new faces" and to give potential successors a chance to profile mselves.

Displeasure had in particular ensured that under names previously mentioned for possible posts, Secretary of Finance Jens Spahn is missing. Spahn is considered one of most vehement critics of Merkel in party. In particular on subject of integration, he repeatedly set distinctly different accents than chancellor. If Merkel makes a possible list of cabinets known before party Congress, pressure on m should also be taken into account.

Merkel had also announced in election campaign to occupy half of ministerial posts with women. In past few days re had been furr criticism that – except Merkel himself – no person from East Germany has been considered to have been set for cabinet. In ZDF interview, Merkel left open wher she would also say in presentation of CDU ministerial list who will be CDU general secretary in future. Peter Tauber, who holds post, is ill.

Date Of Update: 12 February 2018, 12:03
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