German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged her conservatives on Saturday to try to forge a nationally untested three-way alliance with the Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens, her most explicit backing yet for the so-called Jamaica coalition.
Merkel, whose conservatives won a fourth term in the September 24 election but bled support to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), needs to form a coalition, most likely a Jamaica alliance, named for the black, yellow and green party colors which match Jamaica’s flag.
Merkel said a special party meeting should be held to let members of her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) vote on any coalition deal.
“I advise everyone to concentrate on what lies ahead,” Merkel told young members of her Christian Democrats (CDU) in Dresden.
“First between the CDU and (Bavarian) Christian Social Union (CSU) then with the Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens and to understand the mandate that voters handed us,” she said.
She also said she believed agreement between her CDU and her CSU Bavarian sister party was possible even though they are at odds on migration policy. The two parties meet on Sunday.
“I will do everything I can to move forward...With good will, that should be possible,” Merkel said.