'We worked well together,' she said.
Merkel
also laid out some priorities for a future government, including
maintaining solid finances, making some tax cuts, extending the digital
infrastructure and aiming to limit the number of migrants entering
Germany to 200,000 per year.
Acknowledging
an election result that reflected voters' fears and insecurities - the
conservatives and other parties bled support to the far-right
Alternative for Germany (AfD) - Merkel acknowledged the task ahead was
difficult.
'The election result shows that we have a mountain of tasks ahead,' she said.
Schulz said that the Social
Democrats were now willing to meet with other parties, but insisted that
the talks 'won't automatically take a particular direction
The
SPD will likely approve a renewed coalition with Chancellor Angela
Merkel's conservatives if party leaders present a convincing proposal, a
member of the party's executive leadership said earlier today.
Niels
Annen of the SPD, in an interview with the Passauer Neue Presse
newspaper, called for quick action to form a new German government given
a range of crises around the world, and said a 'grand coalition' was an
option that could not be excluded.
SPD
leader Martin Schulz on Friday agreed to hold talks with Merkel about
reviving their outgoing coalition government, but said no decisions had
been made and party members would have the final say on any deal.
But he suggested that governing
could help the SPD achieve its political aims and told the party's youth
wing - which rejected another grand coalition at a party conference -
that he expected their loyalty and 'constructive cooperation.'
Annen
said the SPD needed to hear from 'the failed chancellor' about how she
envisioned the future government before agreeing to another four-year
tie-up with conservatives.
The
centre-left SPD had vowed to go into opposition after suffering its
worst result in 70 years in September's election, but came under intense
pressure, including by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, to
rethink its position and help avert a disruptive repeat poll in Europe's
largest economy.
Sounding self-assured, even
cracking the odd joke, and receiving regular applause during her speech,
Merkel said she wanted to look ahead after the setbacks of the last
week and she clearly turned her attention to the SPD
Schulz
said party leaders agreed to talks out of a sense of responsibility to
Germany and Europe after Merkel's attempt to form a government with two
smaller parties collapsed on Sunday.
'Germany
urgently needs a predictable and reliable government. A grand coalition
could be an option and we should not exclude it,' Annen told the
newspaper, adding that the SPD was focused on 'what is good for the
country.'
He welcomed plans to take any
coalition agreement to members for a vote, and said the party should
continue its restructuring efforts after the September election setback.
'I'm certain, if the SPD leadership makes a convincing proposal, it will be able to convince the membership,' he said.
Annen cited citizens' insurance and better protection for renters as issues to hash out with conservatives.
SPD
deputy leader Ralf Stegner told the Funke newspaper group that Schulz
would retain his leadership role, saying he continued to enjoy strong
support within the party.
'There is absolutely no doubt that Martin Schulz will be re-elected as party chairman with a good result,' he said.
Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever.
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