German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) agreed after all-night talks on Friday to a blueprint for formal coalition negotiations, party sources said, raising prospects of an end to months of political uncertainty. After 24 hours of talks, the six leaders began presenting the 28-page blueprint to party members, party sources said. “We agree on the aim of a balanced budget without new debt,” read a draft of a coalition blueprint seen by Reuters, which was still subject to possible changes. Before the two groups move to formal coalition negotiations, SPD leaders need to persuade party members to give a green light at a congress planned for January 21. Many SPD members fear governing with the conservatives again would further weaken their party after it suffered the worst result in September’s vote since the modern Federal Republic was founded in 1949.

Source: Egypt Independent January 12, 2018 09:56 UTC