GERMAN Social Democratic Party leader Martin Schulz said yesterday that his party is considering backtracking on its pledge not to enter another “grand coalition” with Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats, with internal discussions due to be held next week.

After his party’s disastrous result in the September 24 election, Mr Schultz had ruled out jumping back into bed with Ms Merkel. Much of the blame for its loss of 40 seats and one-fifth of its vote has been pinned on the past four years of coalition government.

Chancellor Merkel is short of options. After talks broke down with the neoliberal Free Democratic and Green parties she said she’d prefer another election to ruling as a minority government.