Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader Martin Schulz has stated that he hasn't yet given a green light for a coalition with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Conservative union, adding that there are many options to form a government and all of them should be discussed.
According to Schulz, the key demands of his party are a need to reform the EU, improve healthcare, as well as the EU and answer French President Emmanuel Macron's Eurozone reform proposals positively.
Commenting on the SDP's possible coalition with the Conservatives, Schulz has stated that it is not "automatic," adding that the party would discuss alternatives at a meeting next week.
The statement came after the Bild newspaper reported that Merkel's Conservative bloc — made up of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) — and rivaling Social Democratic Party led by Martin Schulz had agreed during Thursday to start talks on forming the coalition.
The parties reportedly also discussed other possible options such as creating the minority government by the CDU/CSU bloc and holding new election.
Coalition Talks in Germany Continue Amid 'Unprecedented' Crisis
The announcement comes a day after the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) alliance voiced readiness to begin negotiations with the SPD, while Merkel stated that she agrees with the statements, saying that the formation of the Jamaica coalition is impossible.
Merkel was referring to a statement made by Bavarian leader Horst Seehofer on Sunday, who said that the formation of a new grand coalition between German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU/CSU and the center-left SPD is "the best option for Germany," emphasizing that such a scenario would be "better in any case than 'Jamaica', new elections or a minority government."
READ MORE: Merkel Gives Up on 'Jamaica', Sets Sights on Grand Coalition With SPD
After Germany's failure to form the so-called Jamaica coalition, a situation described by the country's president as "unprecedented in 70 years," the only remaining options for the CDU/CSU are either further attempts to form a coalition, a minority government or new elections. The political crisis in Germany dates back to November 20, when the Free Democratic Party (FPD) leader Christian Lindner announced that his party had withdrawn from the the talks on the formation of the coalition government, prompting Frank-Walter Steinmeier to hold talks with the leadership of various parties urging them to avoid the new parliamentary elections.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: SPD Vice Chair Says Grand Coalition Just 'Won't Do'
In the immediate aftermath of the collapse of negotiations to form a so-called Jamaica Coalition, named after the colors of the four parties, Merkel had said she would prefer new elections rather than an "unstable" minority government, however, later she said, "The people have voted. I do not believe that if we can't start [working] with the result, we should ask people to vote again."
The current poltiical crisis is the result of the parliamentary elections on September 24, when both the CDU/CSU and the SPD suffered their worst election results since the 1940s, with 33 percent of votes and secured 246 seats in the parliament for CDU/CSU, SPD with 20.5% of votes and 12.6% for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
