Exploratory talks for a government coalition to begin on 18 October

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her conservative CDU/CSU bloc would begin exploratory talks on forming a so-called ‘Jamaica’ coalition on 18 October, reports Reuters. That day, the CDU/CSU would hold separate talks with the Free Democrats (FDP) and the Green Party. “Then on Friday, 20 October, we will have a first round of exploratory talks with all partners”, Merkel told a joint news conference with CSU leader Horst Seehofer on 9 October. The CDU and CSU have agreed a compromise position on refugee policy, removing a major obstacle to pursuing coalition talks with other parties, reports Reuters.

See the Reuters articles in English here and here, and find a CDU press release in German here.

For background, read the CLEW article Coalition watch – The making of a new German government and the factsheets The long road to a new government coalition in Germany and Climate & energy stumbling blocks for Jamaica-coalition talks.