German government hopefuls wrap up 1st round of talks

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right bloc has sought to win over the environmentalist Greens for a possible governing coalition. The parties that hope for a share of power on Tuesday wrapped up their first meetings on forming Germany’s new government. The Union bloc’s only hope of keeping the chancellorship after North Rhine-Westphalia state governor Armin Laschet led it to its worst-ever result in the Sept. 26 parliamentary election is a coalition with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats. The Greens’ leaders were tightlipped. Co-leader Robert Habeck said the Greens and the Free Democrats will take time “today and tomorrow” to mull their talks.