Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 7 december 2019
Germany: Merkel's partners give coalition 'realistic chance'

By GEIR MOULSON exit was easily defeated. and we must be prepared
Associated Press The motion "is formulated to make compromises," he
BERLIN (AP) — Germany's in such a way that we can said. "But they must be jus-
junior governing party is negotiate with the Union, tifiable and they must not
giving Chancellor Angela with all respect and on a obscure what we stand
Merkel's coalition a "realistic fair level, about the ques- for."
chance" of survival, one of tion of the 'grand coalition' Esken won the backing of
its new leaders said Friday continuing," Esken said in a 75.9% of delegates at Fri-
before winning a mandate speech to delegates. day's meeting to become
to seek new concessions. "I was and I am skeptical co-leader and Walter-Bor-
The party rejected a call to as far as the future of this jans won 89.2%.
leave the government im- 'grand coalition' is con- Both ran unopposed. But
mediately. cerned. I haven't changed they face a tougher job to
A congress of the Social my mind," she added. "But win over the wider German
Democratic Party formally with this motion, we are giv- public.
endorsed a membership ing the coalition a realistic Polls currently show support
ballot's choice of the left- Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken, designated chance of continuing — no for the Social Democrats at
leaning duo of Saskia Esken chairpersons, hug each other after their speeches at the Social more but also no less." 13 or 14%. That compares
and Norbert Walter-Borjans Democratic Party, SPD, party's convention in Berlin, Germany, However long the coalition with their already poor
Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
as co-leaders. Associated Press lasts, Esken pledged to im- showing of 20.5% in the
In that membership bal- plement "steadfast Social 2017 election; support for
lot, whose results were an- then their defeated rivals backed a motion drawn Democratic politics" in it. Merkel's Union bloc is about
nounced last weekend, about staying in the "grand up with the new leadership Walter-Borjans underlined twice as high and the So-
members rejected a rival coalition" of what were that calls for talks with the his skepticism about the cial Democrats also have
team of Vice Chancellor traditionally Germany's Union aimed at raising the Merkel government's pol- fallen behind the Greens,
Olaf Scholz and Klara Gey- biggest parties, but also national minimum wage, icy of keeping the Ger- traditionally smaller rivals
witz that clearly favored stopped short of demand- increasing public invest- man budget balanced, a on the left.
staying in Merkel's coalition ing an immediate depar- ment and raising the price policy known as the "black If the Social Democrats do
and was backed by the ture halfway through the of carbon dioxide in a re- zero" that Scholz — who in the end decide to walk
party establishment. parliamentary term. cently agreed package of is finance minister as well out of the coalition, it's un-
The congress formally ends Merkel's center-right Union climate measures. as vice chancellor — has clear what would happen.
a six-month leadership hia- bloc has made clear that It was careful not to set helped implement. Merkel's bloc could seek to
tus for the struggling cen- it isn't prepared to embark specific targets, and avoid- "If the black zero stands carry on in a minority gov-
ter-left party after former on a full renegotiation of ed both setting a time limit against a better future for ernment or, theoretically at
leader Andrea Nahles quit the accord underpinning and taking a clear position our children, then it is wrong least, negotiate an alterna-
following a dismal perfor- the coalition, which took on the coalition's future. It — then it must go," Walter- tive coalition; or the result
mance in European Parlia- office last year after the So- said that the party leader- Borjans said. That also goes could eventually be an
ment elections. But it was cial Democrats reluctantly ship will evaluate the situa- for the "debt brake," a rule early election.
set to leave open questions agreed to enter the chan- tion after the talks. that limits new borrowing, Merkel has said that this will
about its future course. cellor's fourth-term govern- That didn't go far enough he added. be her final term. The next
Esken and Walter-Borjans ment. for some left-wingers, but "We are in this coalition and election is currently due in
have been more skeptical On Friday, delegates their call for an immediate we are in a democracy, the fall of 2021.q

Lebanese PM asks friendly nations for credit amid crisis

Associated Press erupted, leading to the Aoun has called for bind-
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's resignation of Hariri's gov- ing consultations with
outgoing prime minister ernment two weeks later. heads of parliamentary
called on several Arab Protesters now want that blocs to name a new
and world leaders Friday entire political elite, that prime minister on Monday.
to help his country secure has ruled the country since He added that the for-
credit lines for imports from the end of the 1975-90 civil mation of a new Cabinet
friendly nations as the tiny war, out. President Mi- would help friendly coun-
Mediterranean country chel Aoun said the finan- tries release $11 billion in
passes through its worst cial measures taken in the loans and grants made by
economic and financial country are "temporary international donors at the
crisis in decades. because of the current fi- CEDRE conference in Paris
According to a statement nancial conditions." last year. Lebanon imports
released by his office, Aoun, who spoke during a most of its basic needs,
Saad Hariri sent letters to meeting with international including wheat, petrol
the leaders of Saudi Ara- Anti-government protesters shout slogans during ongoing investment bankers, said and medicine, leading to
protests against the Lebanese political class and the financial
bia, Egypt, France, China, crisis, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. that dealing with the eco- a huge trade deficit. Im-
Russia, Italy and the United Associated Press nomic and financial crisis porters have been facing
States as part of his efforts will be the priority of the difficulties in getting U.S.
to ease the liquidity crisis economic growth and laid off or had their sala- new government once it's dollars to cover imports as
and secure food stuff and massive debt. Local banks ries slashed. The crisis has formed. He added that the local currency, which
raw materials. have imposed unprec- worsened since Oct. 17, offshore exploration for oil has been pegged to the
Lebanon is experiencing edented capital controls when nationwide protests and gas will begin in Janu- dollar since 1997, lost 40%
its worst economic and and thousands of em- against years of corrup- ary and would boost the of its value on the black
financial crisis amid zero ployees have been either tion and mismanagement country's credentials. market.q