Merkel vows 'good for Germany' as SPD paves way for her fourth term

BERLIN, Mar 04 (AFP): German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday vowed to work with the Social Democrats for the "good of Germany", after the centre-left party cleared the last hurdle in the way of the veteran leader's fourth term by agreeing to join her new coalition.

Two in three of the SPD's rank and file voting in a make or break referendum backed a new partnership with Merkel's conservatives, heralding an end to the political stalemate that has plagued Europe's biggest economy since September's inconclusive elections.

But the chancellor, in power for 12 years, will go into her fourth term with far weaker cards than before, as she had to pay a high price to coax the reluctant Social Democratic Party (SPD) back into another loveless "grand coalition".

Congratulating the SPD for its "clear result", Merkel said using her CDU party's Twitter account that she was looking forward to "further cooperation for the good of our country".

Stung by their worst post-war results, the SPD had initially ruled out another four years under Merkel's shadow.

But after Merkel's attempt to cobble together a government with two smaller parties failed, the SPD relented.

With the party riven over its way forward, its leadership promised its more than 460,000 members the final say on any coalition deal.

"We now have clarity. The SPD will be in the next government," said SPD's caretaker chairman Olaf Scholz, adding that his party plans to send three male and three female ministers to the cabinet.

European partners waiting impatiently for post-war Germany to end its longest stretch of coalition haggling heaved a sigh of relief.

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted by calling the SPD decision "good news for Europe."

EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici praised the party for its "responsible and decisive vote" and said on Twitter that "Germany is now ready to engage for a stronger Europe."

With the SPD's emphatic decision for a new partnership, Merkel is expected to launch her fourth government by mid-March.

But the long-serving leader faces a far rockier road ahead than in the last four years.

Unlike in their previous partnership when Merkel's conservatives and the SPD enjoyed a crushing majority, this time they now have only a slim 56 per cent (399 out of total 709) of seats in parliament.