Scholz will not participate in coalition talks with CDU
Olaf Scholz (Getty Images)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he would not represent the Social Democratic Party of Germany in coalition talks with the Christian Democratic Union, which won the election, according to Bild and tagesschau.
"I will not be the chief negotiator for the SPD," Scholz said on ARD and ZDF TV channels.
The chancellor added that he would not participate in this possible future coalition.
"It is quite clear to me that I have applied for the post of federal chancellor, not for any other position in the government," he emphasized.
The current Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who was previously called a likely successor to Scholz in the SPD, said that the party is ready to talk about forming a government with the CDU, and he sees himself as a participant in these negotiations as the party leader.
The decision may be made at party committees tomorrow.
"The party will decide which team we will go within the coming months and years," Pistorius said.
Bundestag elections
On Sunday, February 23, early parliamentary elections were held in Germany. They were called after the collapse of the coalition consisting of the SPD, the Free Democrats, and the Greens.
According to exit polls, the CDU party, led by Friedrich Merz, won the election, while the SPD came in third. The far-right Alternative for Germany, which has a pro-Russian bias, may come in second.
Read more about the first forecasts and possible outcomes of the vote in Germany in the RBC-Ukraine article.
