Germany

German tour operators have again shown an increasing demand for holidays in Turkey, said the head of a leading tourism association in Germany on Dec. 25.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Dec. 18 that she hoped to conclude exploratory talks with the Social Democrats (SPD) on forming a government by mid-January so that both parties can launch official negotiations on renewing their alliance.

The one thing that the government has shown any consistency about since being elected to power in January 2015 has been its targets.

Solving problems between Germany and Turkey is in the interest of both sides, as officials continue to discuss concrete issues, a close aide of Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Dec. 14.

The leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) said on Dec. 4 he would launch talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on forming a government next week if members of his center-left party gave him the green light at a congress this weekend.

Germany's center-left Social Democrats agreed to enter into talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives about possibly forming a new government, according to a report Monday.

SPD leadership met Monday and unanimously decided on opening talks with Merkel's Christian Democrats and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, Reuters reported.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel won the national election for the fourth time in September. However, she is yet to form a stable government in Berlin. Many people in Germany and other European countries feel that Germany is heading towards a snap poll.

Martin Schultz, the leader of the German Social Democrats, is willing to participate in the negotiations for a broad coalition government of Angela Merkel. The consultations are resumed on Thursday, bTV announced.

Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed has the prospect of talks on a “grand coalition” with her Social Democrat (SPD) rivals and defended the record of the previous such government, saying it had worked well.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the head of Bavaria's conservatives, and the leader of the center Social Democrats (SPD) on Thursday, his office said on Friday, quoted by Reuters.