- Title: Merkel: CDU wants to continue leading national government with SPD
- Date: 5th November 2018
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 5, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE AT CDU PARTY HEADQUARTERS PEOPLE WATCHING FROM GALLERY MERKEL SPEAKING PEOPLE WATCHING FROM GALLERY (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "The question is whether we as CDU continue to feel committed to the coalition treaty. We discussed this at the party's federal board meeting yesterday and there was unanimous agreement - in any case nobody objected to it. This means there is a general conviction that, on the basis of the coalition treaty, we will continue to lead the government." REPORTERS / WIDE OF MERKEL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "My relationship with Friedrich Merz was always such that we exchanged views as two politics enthusiasts and where we worked together, we always found solutions. Of course, we did not always have the same view, but it happens rarely that you always share the same view with someone. So, I have no doubt that should it so happen I can work well with Friedrich Merz, just like with any other of the candidates." WIDE OF MERKEL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "I am ready and that says it all. (WOMAN HEARD SAYING thank you for coming). Readiness without a will is something unknown to me." MERKEL LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE BERLIN, GERMANY (RECENT - OCTOBER 31, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FRIEDRICH MERZ AT NEWS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING HE WILL RUN TO SUCCEED MERKEL AS CDU PARTY LEADER
- Embargoed: 19th November 2018 11:47
- Keywords: CDU party leader chancellor Angela Merkel future
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001958AOUF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday (November 5) that her Christian Democrats (CDU) had agreed they would like to continue heading up the federal coalition government with the Social Democrats (SPD) and Bavaria's Christian Social Union.
"We as the CDU continue to feel committed to the coalition treaty," Merkel said.
"We discussed this at the party's federal board meeting yesterday and there was unanimous agreement - in any case nobody objected to it. This means there is a general conviction that, on the basis of the coalition treaty, we will continue to lead the government," she added.
Merkel last week said she would step down from her role as CDU party leader but stressed on Monday that she was prepared to remain as chancellor until this legislative period ends in 2021.
Asked how she would get along with candidate Friedrich Merz who would stand for a shift towards the low-tax, business-friendly right-wing conservatism that Merkel has pushed into the background, she replied she had "no doubt that ... I can work well with Friedrich Merz." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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