Germany coalition talks: SPD backs talks with Merkel

Germany's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have voted for coalition negotiations with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, their former coalition partners.

Earlier this month, the two groupings agreed a blueprint for formal talks.

Merkel's centre-right CDU and its Bavarian CSU ally have been unable to form a government since September's inconclusive election, BBC reported on Sunday.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 94 seats in parliament.

Initially the SPD ruled out governing with Mrs Merkel in charge again. But leader Martin Schulz changed his mind after CDU/CSU coalition talks with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens broke down.

It's fair to assume Angela Merkel permitted herself a sigh of relief this evening.

Nevertheless the poker face was on for the cameras as she gave a brief statement welcoming the Social Democrats' decision to approve formal coalition talks. This is her last realistic shot at forming a government and avoiding fresh elections.

It is far from a done deal.

Many Social Democrats blame Merkel for a poor election result in September and there is still significant opposition within the party to another four years as her junior coalition partner.

If and when talks produce a formal agreement, all 440,000 members will be asked - via a postal ballot - to approve the deal. Mrs Merkel isn't out of the woods just yet. But she is a step closer to delivering the government, the stability she promised.

This is Germany's longest post-war period of coalition-building.

The SPD has governed jointly with the CDU for eight of the last 12 years. But after historically poor poll results for both parties in September, Schulz had vowed to take his party into opposition.

However, pressure mounted on the SPD since November, when Merkel failed to cobble together a coalition with the liberal FDP and the Greens.