German SPD leader calls for ‘United States of Europe’
Martin Schulz urges members of the centre-left party to help Chancellor Angela Merkel form a coalition in Europe’s economic powerhouse
Berlin — The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD), Martin Schulz, urged his party on Thursday to push for the creation of a "United States of Europe" and keep open the option of helping Chancellor Angela Merkel form a new government. Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse, has been struggling to build a new government since Merkel’s conservative bloc and the SPD shed support in a September election in which the anti-immigrant AfD party surged into parliament. Schulz urged members of the centre-left SPD to be open to Merkel’s overtures to renew the coalition that has governed for the past four years, saying the party had a responsibility to revive social democracy in Germany. A new "grand coalition" with the reluctant SPD is Merkel’s best hope of extending her 12 years in power after talks with two smaller parties failed. "The question isn’t grand coalition or no grand coalition," he said, "Nor minority government or fresh elections. No — it’s about how we exercise our responsib...
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