Germany: Merkel suffers blow as FDP pulls out of coalition talks

Talks on forming a coalition government in Germany have collapsed, leaving Angela Merkel facing her biggest challenge in 12 years as chancellor. The free-market liberal FDP pulled out after four weeks of talks with Mrs Merkel’s CDU/CSU bloc and the Greens. FDP leader Christian Lindner said there was “no basis of trust” between them. President […]

Talks on forming a coalition government in Germany have collapsed, leaving Angela Merkel facing her biggest challenge in 12 years as chancellor.

The free-market liberal FDP pulled out after four weeks of talks with Mrs Merkel’s CDU/CSU bloc and the Greens.

FDP leader Christian Lindner said there was “no basis of trust” between them.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany was facing an unprecedented situation and that he would hold talks with all parties.

He said this would include parties that not had been involved in the talks so far and called on politicians to work together for the “well-being” of the country.

Earlier Mrs Merkel said she regretted the collapse and formally told the president that negotiations had failed.