SPD leader says voters must reassess German political situation

BERLIN - 20 Nov 2017: German voters should be given the opportunity to reevaluate the political situation after talks to form a government collapsed, Social Democrats (SPD) leader Martin Schulz said on Monday, adding that his party was not afraid of new elections.

Schulz said his party was still not available to join Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) in a continuation of their "grand coalition" government after her talks with other parties failed.

"In such a situation, the sovereign, that is the voters, must reassess what is going on," Schulz told reporters, adding that Merkel had yet to contact him and that he would meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday.