Off the wire
2nd LD Writethru: U.S. Senator Al Franken announces resignation amid sexual misconduct allegations  • FBI director defends agency amid Trump's criticism  • World Bank provides 68 mln USD grant to Rwanda for feeder roads construction  • Kenya's bourse trading slows down amid decline of some large stocks  • Urgent: Martin Schulz elected again as SPD chairman  • Britain reports record high of arrests in terror probe  • 1st LD: Three dead in shooting at New Mexico high school  • WHO carries out cholera vaccination in high-risk districts in Somalia  • About 18 elections to be held in Africa in 2018: AU  • Hezbollah slams Trump's decision on Jerusalem  
You are here:  

1st LD: Germany's SPD votes for Grand Coalition talks with Merkel's Union Party

Xinhua,December 08, 2017 Adjust font size:

BERLIN, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Germany's SPD Party on Thursday voted to enter into exploratory talks for the formation of a new government coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's Union Party.

About 600 SPD members on Thursday gathered for the federal party congress and voted with a large majority to enter exploratory talks that could eventually end Germany's political crisis.

The SPD motion said the "open-ended" talks will start next week and would lead to three options: a new grand coalition, the acceptance of a minority government led by Merkel, or snap elections if no government can be formed. Enditem