BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday she plans to serve another full four-year term, despite growing criticism within her conservative ranks of the sweeping concessions she made to hold onto power. Merkel won September elections but fell short of a clear majority, in large part due to the rise of the far-right, anti-immigration AfD which took votes away from all major parties. After a gruelling marathon of negotiations, she managed on Wednesday to forge another “grand coalition” deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who however extracted a high price. The SPD snatched the powerful finance, foreign and labour ministries, as well as justice and environment, while Merkel’s Bavarian allies the CSU took the interior ministry. Facing growing unrest from within her long-obedient CDU, party chief Merkel chose to defend the coalition deal, which must still be approved in an SPD party vote.

Source: New Strait Times February 12, 2018 00:11 UTC