Merkel says she is working very well with SPD interim leadership

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday she had a "very, very trustworthy" working relationship with the interim leaders of her Social Democrat coalition partners, with whom she shares power in an often rocky alliance.

Turning to the appointment of her heir apparent, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, as defence minister earlier this week, Merkel said she was convinced she would do the job "very well."

"The party will decide who will be chancellor candidate," she said, adding that her Christian Democrats and their Bavarian sister party would do this together ahead of the next election due in 2021.

(Reporting by Paul Carrel; Editing by Michelle Martin)