BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel has invited her likely successor Finance Minister Olaf Scholz to join bilateral discussions with other world leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit this weekend, a German government official said on Thursday.
The three German parties working to form a new coalition government aim to wrap up their talks by the end of November and hope to elect Social Democrat Scholz as the new chancellor in the week of Dec. 6, party officials said last week.
The fact that Merkel and Scholz will take part in the summit together is a sign of continuity in Germany’s approach to the G20, the government official said.
Merkel’s bilateral meetings, which should cover topics such as nuclear talks with Iran, will include one with U.S. President Joe Biden, the official added.