SPD Co-Leader ‘Skeptical’ About Coalition's Future, Will Give Merkel a Chance

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Incoming Social Democratic co-leader Saskia Esken said Friday she did not have much trust in Germany’s governing coalition but would give Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives a chance.

"I was and remain skeptical about the future of this grand coalition and have not changed my mind. But this motion gives the coalition a realistic chance to survive — nothing more, nothing less. As much time as the coalition may have I will keep promoting social democratic policies," she said.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) voted in two coalition critics as co-leaders over the weekend. Esken said they had put together a list of demands on Thursday that they want Merkel’s party to act on in order to retain a majority government.

The SPD is meeting for a three-day congress in Berlin, which will formally approve the two leaders and their demands to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which are more action on climate change, massive investment in public infrastructure and a higher minimal wage.