The formation of a new grand coalition between German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative party and the center-left SPD is "the best option for Germany," Bavarian Minister President Horst Seehofer said on Sunday, adding that such a scenario would be "better in any case than 'Jamaica', new elections or a minority government."
His statement came the day after Merkel's U-turn on snap elections in the country. The German Chancellor, who previously supported the idea of a new vote, reversed her stance on Saturday and expressed her readiness to renew talks to form a coalition.
In particular, the German leader stated that she was ready to have discussions with the SPD, if the dialogue is based on "mutual respect."
READ MORE: Merkel's About-Face on Snap Elections Welcoming New Talks to Form Coalition
For his part, SPD leader Martin Schulz, who has been opposing the idea of a new grand coalition with Merkel's CDU party, also changed his mind and promised to organize a vote on possible talks within his party.
Many hope that the renewal of a grand coalition could help ensure stability in the country and avoid political turmoil looming in the wake of the four unsuccessful weeks of talks to form a new German government within the so called "Jamaica coalition", which collapsed after the Free Democratic Party (FDP) withdrew from the discussions with the CSU/CDU and the Greens last Sunday night.
READ MORE: 'Test for Merkel': Snap Election is 'Only Option' as German Coalition Talks Fail
The dramatic events have made Germany's political future as vague as ever. The country's leadership has now to choose between new elections to the Bundestag and further attempts to form a coalition. Possible options include the renewal of the grand coalition between CDU / CSU and the Social Democrats or the creation of a minority government.
