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WORLD NEWS Saturday 4 November 2017
Merkel still optimistic on forming new German coalition

By GEIR MOULSON telling ARD television ear-
Associated Press lier Friday that in four of 12
BERLIN (AP) — Chancel- policy areas “we haven’t
lor Angela Merkel said Fri- managed to agree what
day that she’s still optimis- we don’t agree on.”
tic about the chances of “We understand that oth-
disparate parties allying ers need their priorities,
to form Germany’s next but we see that others ap-
government after an initial parently believe they can
round of talks produced do this with the motto,
little visible progress. ‘we won’t give anything
Germany’s Sept. 24 elec- away,’” he said.
tion left Merkel trying to “And we won’t get it done
form an untried coalition that way.”
of her conservative Union Merkel governed for the
bloc, the pro-business Free last four years in a coalition
Democrats and the tradi- with the center-left Social
tionally left-leaning Greens. Democrats, Germany’s
Over the past 10 days, ne- second-biggest party. The
gotiators struggled to find Social Democrats are ada-
common ground on issues mant that they will go into
including immigration and opposition after a disas-
refugees, climate protec- German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for exploratory talks on a government coalition in trous election result, leav-
tion and agriculture. While Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. Merkel said Friday that she’s still optimistic about the ing a combination with
Merkel has kept a low pro- chances of disparate parties allying to form Germany’s next government. the Free Democrats and
file, prominent figures from (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) Greens as the only politi-
other parties have repeat- effort, and in a way that er, Christian Lindner, said different parties can agree cally feasible option.
edly sniped at each other. allows every partner to the parties have now set on what is good for our Weeks or even months of
Merkel said there are emphasize its identity and out their differing positions country, but it is also diffi- haggling are likely to be
still “difficult” discussions something good comes “and in the second phase, cult,” said Greens co-lead- needed, along with ballots
ahead — “but I still believe out of it for the whole we now face the task of er Katrin Goering-Eckardt. of the Greens’ and Free
that we can tie the ends country.” building bridges.” Fellow Green Juergen Trit- Democrats’ members on
together if we make an The Free Democrats’ lead- “It is an opportunity if such tin was less diplomatic, an eventual deal.q
Russian opposition leader

sues Putin for rally denials

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian that he has no doubt that
opposition leader Alexei Putin personally has direct-
Navalny is suing President ed local officials to deny
Vladimir Putin over authori- permission for the rallies,
ties’ repeated refusals to adding that “he’s afraid of
sanction rallies for his sup- our campaign.”
porters. There was no immediate
The Tverskoy court in Mos- comment from the Krem-
cow confirmed receiving lin, but the Interior Ministry
Navalny’s lawsuit against issued a statement Friday
Putin on Friday. saying that Navalny’s sup-
Navalny has alleged that porters in several cities
Putin ordered local offi- across Russia had received
cials to withhold permission official permission to hold
for the rallies because the rallies but then failed to
Russian leader fears facing show up for them.
him as a challenger in next Putin’s approval ratings top
March’s presidential elec- 80 percent, which should
tion. ensure a landslide victory
Putin hasn’t said if he will against a familiar set of
seek another six-year term, luckless veterans of past
but he’s widely expected presidential campaigns.
to run. Navalny has said The Russian government,
he intends to join the race however, has been worried
even though a criminal about increasing voter ap-
conviction that he calls po- athy.Last month, celebrity
litically motivated prohibits TV host Ksenia Sobchak de-
his candidacy. clared her intention to run
To pressure the Kremlin for president.
into letting him run, the Observers said the move
anti-corruption crusader could split the opposition
has organized a grassroots ranks and also play into the
campaign to support his Kremlin’s hands by helping
presidential bid and staged raise public interest in the
waves of protests this year. March 18, 2018 presidential
Navalny said on YouTube vote. q