German rivals to meet to resolve leadership row

The pressure is on in Germany as the country’s main political rivals try to break the deadlock today over who will lead the coalition government. Yesterday, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder held talks with the Conservative Christian Democrat leader Angela Merkel – both appeared optmistic a deal would be reached.

Neither Schroeder’s Social Democrats nor the CDU won a workable majority after last month’s election which saw both sides claiming the Chancellorship. Now the CDU and SPD seem to be warming to the idea of forming a grand coaltion. It could see Merkel who came out just slightly ahead in the poll become the country’s first woman chancellor. A grand coalition between the main left and right parties has only happened once before in Germany back in the 1960s.

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