BERLIN, Oct 21 Reuters - The three German parties working to form a new coalition government aim to wrap up their talks by the end of November and elect Social Democrat Olaf Scholz in the week of December 6, party officials said on Thursday.
As formal coalition negotiations began between the SPD, the Greens and the Free Democrats FDP, SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil said the aim was for 22 specialist policy working groups to report back by Nov. 10.
Senior officials from other parties said they were optimistic that the talks would be successful, with Volker Wissing, general secretary of the business-friendly Free Democrats, saying exploratory talks had been encouraging.
Last month's national election saw Angela Merkel's conservative block relegated to second place after the still popular Chancellor chose not to run for a fifth term.
While the Greens and the SPD are seen as conservative bedfellows, the FDP have historically been closer to progressives.
It's ambitious, said Wissing of the timetable the parties had set themselves.