We have reached our election goal,” said Merkel, who is about to start coalition talks with the business-friendly Free Democratic Party.
Together with the FDP, the CDU/CSU got 48.4% of the votes, enough to secure a new coalition government, preliminary official results showed Monday.
“The results ensure a stable majority,” Merkel said.
FDP leader Guido Westerwelle said they are “ready to take up responsibility and help govern Germany.”
Coalition talks will start next week at the latest, with key jobs at the economics and finance ministries up for grabs.
Westerwelle is expected to become vice chancellor and foreign minister. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg of the CSU is tipped to stay in his post as economics minister or may become finance minister.
Continue reading Germany’s Merkel Set To Form New Coalition Government
About: Angela Merkel
Related article: German Federal Election, 2009
