Merkel Left to Seek SPD Alliance After Greens Drop Out
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel was left with the Social Democrats as her sole potential governing partner after the Greens dropped out of coalition talks citing irreconcilable differences over tax policy.
Merkel and her Christian Democratic negotiators ended their meeting with Greens party leaders in the early hours today after failing to identify enough common ground to begin formal coalition negotiations. With the Greens sticking to their demands for tax rises to finance infrastructure and Merkel’s bloc unwilling to drop its rejection of tax increases, the talks broke up with no more meetings planned.