Latest Chancellor Stories
By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Monday signaled he may be ready to relinquish power two weeks after Germany's most inconclusive post-war election, saying he would accept any decision his party takes. For the first time since his Social Democrats (SPD) finished second to Angela Merkel's conservatives in the September 18 election that produced a hung parliament, Schroeder said he would not stand in the way if a stable government could be formed by...
By Erik Kirschbaum DRESDEN, Germany (Reuters) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and rival Angela Merkel, edging warily toward a coalition government, attacked each other as unqualified to lead Germany as they vied for advantage in a late-voting district. Schroeder and conservative leader Merkel on Friday took their battle to lead a coalition to the eastern city of Dresden, where each again claimed to have won a mandate in September 18 elections to lead Germany. Both seek a strong result...
By Philip Blenkinsop BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and conservative leader Angela Merkel voiced optimism after talks to forge a power-sharing coalition on Wednesday despite disagreeing on who should lead the country. "Constructive, serious," was the verdict of Merkel to reporters after meeting Schroeder and Social Democrat (SPD) chief Franz Muentefering. "And when you think how we spoke with and against each other 14 days ago in the election campaign, I would...
Please read in the quote in the ninth paragraph ... That is the demand of the Union on the chancellorship .... instead of ... That is the demand of the SPD on the chancellorship A corrected repetition follows: By Philip Blenkinsop BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and conservative leader Angela Merkel voiced optimism after talks to forge a power-sharing coalition on Wednesday despite disagreeing on who should lead the country. "Constructive, serious," was the...
By Philip Blenkinsop BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and conservative leader Angela Merkel voiced optimism after talks to forge a power-sharing coalition on Wednesday despite disagreeing on who should lead the country. "Constructive, serious," was the verdict of Merkel to reporters after meeting Schroeder and Social Democrat (SPD) chief Franz Muentefering. "And when you think how we spoke with and against each other 14 days ago in the election campaign, I would...
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Tuesday he was sure a "grand coalition" of his Social Democrats (SPD) and the conservative opposition would be formed to continue his reforms. "Voters have decided for renewal of their country without giving up social cohesion," Schroeder said in a speech at a function on the future of the European Union. "This requires a government that makes this its priority and I am very sure that such a government will...
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Tuesday that he was sure a "grand coalition" between his Social Democrats and the conservative opposition would be formed to continue reforms his government had begun. "Voters have decided for renewal of their country without giving up social cohesion," Schroeder said in a speech at a function on the future of the European Union. "This requires a government that makes this its priority and I am very sure that...
By Noah Barkin BERLIN (Reuters) - German conservative leader Angela Merkel said on Monday that she could not recommend entering full coalition talks with the Social Democrats (SPD) until they recognized her as the country's rightful chancellor. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of her Christian Democrats (CDU) in Berlin, Merkel laid out a series of preconditions for talks aimed at breaking a political deadlock that has plagued Germany since Sunday's inconclusive election. The rival...
By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats (SPD) floated an unprecedented plan on Saturday to rotate the top job in a bid to break a political stalemate after last Sunday's inconclusive election. The head of an influential SPD group said the party's parliamentary deputies favored a power-sharing plan with the Christian Democrats (CDU) that would let Schroeder hold office for two years before handing over to the CDU at mid-term. Several...
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's environmentalist Greens ended coalition talks with Angela Merkel's conservatives on Friday, making a "grand coalition" between her CDU party and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats more likely. The Greens said they saw no basis for cooperation with a party they called "neo-liberal" and "anti-ecological." Merkel said her Christian Democrats would now focus on talks with Schroeder's center-left SPD aimed at forming a coalition between the two...
