BERLIN, Oct 18 Reuters - Germany's business-friendly social Democrats FDP joined the Social Democrats SPD and Greens on Monday in approving a decision by party leaders to proceed with three-way coalition talks to form what they called a government of the middle They were currently leading the FDP and members of parliament in favour of the start of negotiations after initial exploratory talks which saw the three parties agree a roadmap www.reuters. The Greens (http://www.reuters.com/green) COM world europe, centre-left SPD - vote-in-present - government-coalition - talks - 2021 - 10 - 17, and German-greens had already given their approval.
Party sources said talks to form a traffic light alliance - named after the parties' red, yellow and green colours - could begin with the aim of swearing in a government before Christmas.
Such a three-way coalition - the first of its kind at federal level - would oust conservatives under Chancellor Angela Merkel, who did not stand for re-election after 16 years in government to succeed.
But FDP President Christian Lindner said his party would ensure that this would not bring a shift to the left. Instead, there would be a government of the middle We see opportunities but we also see challenges, said Lindner, adding that there were big differences between parties and a lot of tolerance would be necessary.
The targeted alliance would be led by the SPD, which came first in last month's election, with the party's Olaf Scholz likely succeeding Merkel as chancellor.
Scholz is currently Finance Minister and vice-chancellor in the coalition between Merkel's conservatives and their junior partner, the SPD.
He and the leaders of the smaller Greens and FDP announced on Friday that they aimed to move into formal coalition talks, publishing the roadmap of points on which they agreed and compromises they had already reached.
Among other measures the parties agreed to bring forward an exit from coal-fired power, to avoid tax increases and raise the minimum wage.
The Greens and FDP have kept open the option of turning to the conservatives should talks with the SPD stumble.