SPD's Scholz says aims for German coalition deal before Christmas

BERLIN - Olaf Scholz, the German Social Democrat (SPD) candidate to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel, aims to reach an agreement to form a coalition government with the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) before Christmas, he said on Monday.

"My idea is that we will be very fast in achieving a result. It should be before Christmas if possible," he said a day after national elections.

The SPD won 25.7% of the vote, ahead of 24.1% for Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative bloc, according to provisional results. The Greens came in at 14.8% and the FDP were on 11.5%.