Many fear voters will punish them for sharing power with Merkel again. (AP Photo) Many fear voters will punish them for sharing power with Merkel again. At a nail-biter of a party congress, 56 percent of SPD delegates voted to pursue coalition talks with Merkel’s conservative bloc on the basis of a blueprint agreed earlier this month. The SPD vote will be a relief to investors who worry that policymaking, both at home and in Europe, has ground to a halt. Merkel, SPD leader Martin Schulz and the leader of Merkel’s Bavarian allies, Horst Seehofer, may meet on Monday and the full talks may start as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

Source: Indian Express January 22, 2018 03:22 UTC