Germany's FDP does not expect coalition to form before Christmas

BERLIN – A senior member of the pro-business Free Democrat (FDP) party that is likely to be a partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's new government said in a magazine interview he did not expect the coalition to form before the end of the year.

Next week Merkel's conservatives—who remain the biggest bloc in parliament despite losing support to the far right in a September election—are due to start talks on forming a tricky "Jamaica" coalition with the FDP and the Greens.

The alliance, which derives its name from the three parties' colors matching the Jamaican flag, is untried at national level and is likely to be fraught with disagreements on issues like migrants, tax, European Union reform and the environment.

Asked whether the parties could work together, FDP deputy leader Wolfgang Kubicki told news magazine Der Spiegel: "It can succeed. The most important thing is that trust needs to be built between participants and that takes time. That's why it would be illusory to believe we could conclude negotiations by Christmas."