Merkel defends painful coalition concessions denies authority waning
Angela Merkel
BERLIN  (Reuters) - Angela Merkel  on Sunday defended âpainfulâ concessions  she  has made to the Social Democrats (SPD) to win a fourth term as German chancellor and said criticism among  her  conservatives was not a sign  her  authority was waning.
Asked whether  she  was planning to groom a successor to lead  her  conservatives in the next election   Merkel  said  she  wanted a younger generation of  her  Christian Democrats (CDU) to fill ministerial posts in a renewed coalition with the SPD.
In an interview with the ZDF public broadcaster   she  commented on the rising displeasure among conservatives over  her  decision to give the SPD the powerful finance ministry.
âI understand the disappointment â said  Merkel   who has led Germany for the last 12 years.
âAnd now we need to show that we can start with a new team â  she  added. âWe have six ministerial posts to fill and from my point of view we need to ensure that not only the over-60s are considered but also younger people.â
 Merkel  was weakened in a September election that saw  her  conservative bloc bleed support to a far-right party thrust into parliament for the first time by voters angry at  her  decision in 2015 to welcome more than a million immigrants.
In November   her  efforts to form a government with two smaller parties failed  leaving the country in political deadlock and prompting some members of  her  CDU party to demand a succession plan.
Last week   she  secured a deal with the SPD to renew a right-left alliance that has ruled Germany since 2013 after making painful concessions on Europe and fiscal policy as well as ceding the finance ministry.
 Merkel  said that if they rejected the deal  Germany would probably hold a new election.
 She  rejected a suggestion that generous concessions to the SPD had weakened  her  position in the CDU  saying  she  had decided to cut a deal for the sake of Germany.
 She  sought to allay fears among conservatives that by ceding the finance ministry  the next government will stray from the strict fiscal discipline enforced by former finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.
âIt was a very conscious decision at one point (during negotiations) to say âyesâ this works  even though I know and I myself felt it was painful â  Merkel  said.
Some conservatives are unhappy with  her  decision to allow the SPD to spend a record budget surplus and to embrace their demands for European reform.
BERLIN   [TGT] on Sunday defended âpainfulâ concessions   [TGT]   has made to the Social Democrats (SPD) to win a fourth term as German chancellor and said criticism among   [TGT]   conservatives was not a sign   [TGT]   authority was waning.
Asked whether   [TGT]   was planning to groom a successor to lead   [TGT]   conservatives in the next election   Merkel  said   [TGT]   wanted a younger generation of   [TGT]   Christian Democrats (CDU) to fill ministerial posts in a renewed coalition with the SPD.
In an interview with the ZDF public broadcaster    [TGT]   commented on the rising displeasure among conservatives over   [TGT]   decision to give the SPD the powerful finance ministry.
âI understand the disappointment â said  Merkel   who has led Germany for the last 12 years.
âAnd now we need to show that we can start with a new team â   [TGT]   added. âWe have six ministerial posts to fill and from my point of view we need to ensure that not only the over-60s are considered but also younger people.â
 Merkel  was weakened in a September election that saw  her  conservative bloc bleed support to a far-right party thrust into parliament for the first time by voters angry at  her  decision in 2015 to welcome more than a million immigrants.
In November   her  efforts to form a government with two smaller parties failed  leaving the country in political deadlock and prompting some members of  her  CDU party to demand a succession plan.
Last week   she  secured a deal with the SPD to renew a right-left alliance that has ruled Germany since 2013 after making painful concessions on Europe and fiscal policy as well as ceding the finance ministry.
 Merkel  said that if they rejected the deal  Germany would probably hold a new election.
 She  rejected a suggestion that generous concessions to the SPD had weakened  her  position in the CDU  saying  she  had decided to cut a deal for the sake of Germany.
 She  sought to allay fears among conservatives that by ceding the finance ministry  the next government will stray from the strict fiscal discipline enforced by former finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.
âIt was a very conscious decision at one point (during negotiations) to say âyesâ this works  even though I know and I myself felt it was painful â  Merkel  said.
Some conservatives are unhappy with  her  decision to allow the SPD to spend a record budget surplus and to embrace their demands for European reform.