Balance of Power: Merkel Thrown Lifeline by Old Ruling Partner
Balance of Power: Merkel Thrown Lifeline by Old Ruling Partner
(Bloomberg) -- After Angela Merkel’s hopes for a fourth term as German Chancellor were cast into chaos, her traditional rivals may now toss her a lifeline.
Spurned by the Free Democrats, who walked out of coalition talks Sunday and said they couldn’t trust her, the Social Democrats are signaling they may step into the breach.
SDP leader Martin Schulz has repeatedly ruled out recreating the so-called grand coalition that governed for the past four years after suffering a historic defeat in September. But, as Birgit Jennen exclusively reports, he’s coming under pressure from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to cut a deal.
Schulz will tell Steinmeier when they meet this afternoon that he’s ready to start talks to explore how he and Merkel might work together. So far the SPD leader has only been prepared to support a minority government without a formal coalition.
While Merkel has expressed skepticism about governing without a majority, after a four-day standoff, Germany’s two biggest parties have started inching toward each other. The rest of Europe is hoping they’ll meet.
Global Headlines
Putin’s Syria Play | Touting a “real chance” to end the war in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin pushed a peace plan likely to cement the position of President Bashar al-Assad, the ally he rescued with a military campaign. A whirlwind of Russian diplomacy culminated yesterday in a summit with the leaders of Iran and Turkey in Sochi, Russia, but details on how the often-fractious group hopes to make peace stick were scant. Meanwhile the U.S., which is still calling for Assad to leave, looks largely sidelined.
Australia sounds alarm on China | Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s government warned that a U.S. withdrawal in Asia would shift power to China, putting at risk the rules-based order that underpins the region’s prosperity. Turnbull called for continued U.S. engagement as President Donald Trump raises doubts about America’s commitment and the region becomes more economically dependent on China. Beijing responded that Australia’s comments on the disputed South China Sea were “irresponsible.”
Targeting Venezuela’s economic engine | Nicolas Maduro’s administration has netted its biggest fish in a purge of state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela, having arrested more than 50 officials at the oil giant and its joint ventures since August for alleged graft. The detention of the acting president of PDVSA’s U.S. refining arm comes as Maduro tightens his grip on power and paints himself as battling the forces of Yankee imperialism as the heir of late President Hugo Chavez.
Berlusconi goes to court | Silvio Berlusconi is asking the European Court of Human Rights to quash a ban on his running for public office, imposed because of a tax-fraud conviction, as he seeks a fifth term as Italian prime minister in elections next year. The 81-year-old former cruise ship crooner has seen his political fortunes rise, with his center-right coalition winning a Sicilian regional ballot this month. The court though may not rule in time for the vote.
Iran sees emerging enemy alliance | Saudi Arabia’s shock-and-awe foreign policy is creating ripples in Iran, where officials see its enemies ganging up under the unpredictable leadership of the kingdom’s all-powerful crown prince, the U.S. and Israel. Barriers to an alliance that engages the Islamic Republic militarily remain high. But as Ladane Nasseri and Marc Champion write, Tehran isn’t ruling anything out.
And finally... Did you “like” Russian propaganda? Facebook will show people which Russian propaganda pages or accounts they’ve followed and liked, responding to a request from Congress to address meddling in the 2016 presidential election. A new tool -- online by year’s end -- will allow users to see a list of any accounts they followed that were created by a Russian firm posing as U.S. citizens.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Winfrey at mwinfrey@bloomberg.net, Birgit Jennen Caroline Alexander
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