German coalition talks: SPD agrees to sit down with Angela Merkel's CDU

Social Democrats had previously stated intention to abandon coalition and enter opposition after September election result

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Phil Noble/Reuters)

Leaders of Germany's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have agreed to enter exploratory talks on a new government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Andrea Nahles, the Social Democrats' parliamentary leader, said the party leadership decided unanimously on Friday to start talks with Merkel's conservative Union bloc (CDU).

The two parties have governed Germany in a coalition for the past four years, but the Social Democrats initially said after a disastrous election result in September that they would go into opposition.

The Social Democrats reluctantly reconsidered after Merkel's talks with two smaller parties collapsed last month.

Now, they say they will consider either a formal coalition deal or looser arrangement that allows a Merkel-led government to be formed.

Nahles said that, following initial talks, a party congress next month will decide on the next steps.

AP