Germany’s Merkel sees ‘serious’ gaps to bridge in coalition endgame

Bloomberg

Chancellor Angela Merkel said German parties need to overcome “very serious differences” if they want to seal a government pact this weekend and pave the way for her fourth term.
Heading into her coalition-building endgame , Merkel said she’s “hopeful that we can make it work.” Social Democratic leader Martin Schulz, whose party is split over whether to stay on as her junior partner, said there’s been progress towards a deal, though “tough negotiations” lie ahead.
More than four months after an inconclusive national election won by Merkel’s Christian Democratic-led bloc, she and the Social Democrats are setting a Sunday target for completing a draft government platform.
Even then, the wait wouldn’t be over: the SPD will put any accord to a ballot by its roughly 440,000 members, adding several more weeks to the process.