Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) voted on Sunday to begin formal coalition talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, moving Europe's economic powerhouse one step closer to a stable government after months of political uncertainty.
SPD delegates voted by 362 'for' to 279 'against' to move ahead with negotiations after the centre-left party's leaders agreed a preliminary coalition blueprint with Ms Merkel's conservative bloc earlier this month. There was one abstention.
Talks are now expected to start this week, bringing relief to Germany's partners in Europe, where Ms Merkel has long played a leading role in economic and security affairs.
Sunday’s convention was the biggest obstacle to Ms Merkel’s plan to govern with the SPD. While the party will give its members the final say over any coalition pact negotiated in the weeks ahead, the vote was the clearest sign yet that a four-month political stalemate is ending and Ms Merkel is moving toward re-inauguration, possibly by mid-March.
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Ahead of the vote, party leader Martin Schulz urged party members to vote for opening the coalition talks with Ms Merkel, saying a stable German government was needed to strengthen Europe and serve as a bulwark against right wing extremism.
The center-left party has governed with Ms Merkel's Union bloc since 2013, but Mr Schulz had vowed not to renew the so-called "grand coalition" after his Social Democrats took a beating in September's election.
He told party members gathered in Bonn that the decision was right at the time — but said the political situation has changed after Ms Merkel failed to form a coalition with two smaller parties.
"Europe is waiting for a Germany that knows its responsibility for Europe and can act decisively," he said.
He said the stakes were high, with French President Emmanuel Macron needing support in his ambitious plans to reform the European Union.
"If he fails in his policies, then it can't be ruled out the extreme right will form the next government in Paris," Mr Schulz said.
If the Social Democrats had rejected entering the talks, the only options left would have been for Ms Merkel to form a minority government or for new elections.
Social Democrat deputy leader Malu Dreyer, the Rhineland-Palatinate governor, told delegates that since Ms Merkel's Union bloc is against forming a minority government, voting against entering talks would mean new elections.
"We can't force the Union into a minority government, that's an illusion," she said.
But the head of the Social Democrats' youth wing, Kevin Kuehnert, urged delegates to vote against the grand coalition anyway, saying agreeing to it just because it's the least-bad option would just contribute further to the party's "crisis of trust" with supporters.
"This loop needs to be broken," said Mr Kuehnert, who has led a strong opposition to opening new coalition talks.
Many Social Democrats have voiced fears that should they become part of a new coalition, that would leave the anti-migrant nationalist Alternative for Germany party as the largest opposition party.
But Mr Schulz said the risks of a new election were even greater.
"Who can say that new elections won't further strengthen the right fringe?" he asked.
He noted that other Social Democrats in Europe hadn't profited from being in opposition, and suggested his party's best chance at regaining support from its grassroots was through vigorously pursuing its policies from within government and not behaving as a "junior partner" to Ms Merkel.
"Any government the SPD takes part in, regardless of what coalition, must be an SPD government," he said. "That has to be our stance."
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
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Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
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SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
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5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
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7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.
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DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
