Merkel Says She’d Rather Face Voters Than Risk an Unstable Germany
- Chancellor is skeptical about governing without majority
- EU’s dominant leader picks up pieces after coalition failure
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she’d rather face new elections than govern without a majority, betting that voters won’t blame her after four-party talks on forming a coalition collapsed.
Stung by the sudden breakdown, Merkel turned to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and her Christian Democratic Union officials to find a way forward. Steinmeier told reporters after their meeting in Berlin that he’s urging all parties to return to the negotiating table and avoid a new election, calling the stalemate unprecedented in recent history.