Angela Merkel pledges 'fresh start' for Europe with new government

(L-R) State Premier for Bavaria, Horst Seehofer; German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leader of the Social Democratic Party Martin Schulz arrive at a press conference after talks to form a new government, at the SPD headquarters in Berlin. Pic/AFP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged on Friday that the new government she is seeking to form would work toward a "fresh start" for Europe, after reporting a breakthrough in marathon coalition talks.

"The world is not waiting for us - we need a fresh start in Europe," she said at the end of more than 24 hours of negotiations between her conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD). "A fresh start for Europe is also a fresh start for Germany."

Although Merkel's Christian Democrats differ with many of French President Emmanuel Macron's proposals for sweeping reforms of the European Union, Merkel expressed hope they would hammer out compromises to address challenges facing the bloc. "We will find solutions with France," she said. Agencies

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Hours for which the negotiations went on

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