The leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party is rejecting a radical renegotiation of the agreement underpinning Germany’s governing coalition after its junior partner elected left-leaning leaders who want new concessions.
Members of the center-left Social Democrats on Saturday chose Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken as their new leaders, rejecting a rival duo that included Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz and strongly favored staying in Merkel’s coalition.
Walter-Borjans and Esken are more skeptical. They want to revisit issues such as the minimum wage, climate protection and investment, though it’s unclear how far their demands will go.
Norbert Walter-Borjans, left, and Saskia Esken stand on the podium after winning the member voting of the Social Democratic Party, SPD, chairmanship at the party's headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken beat the rival team of Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Klara Geywitz in a runoff ballot of the Social Democrats’ members, according to results announced Saturday. (Joerg Carstensendpa via AP)
The leader of Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, told ZDF television Monday the new leadership change doesn’t amount to a major change “as a result of which we have to completely renegotiate a coalition.”
Norbert Walter-Borjans, left, and Saskia Esken celebrate after winning the member voting of the Social Democratic Party, SPD, chairmanship at the party's headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken beat the rival team of Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Klara Geywitz in a runoff ballot of the Social Democrats’ members, according to results announced Saturday. (Joerg Carstensendpa via AP)