Berlin, Dec 5 (AFP/APP): Headed by a new leftist leadership duo, Germany’s struggling Social Democrats are gearing up for a crunch congress from Friday that could decide the future of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s fragile coalition government. As SPD members gather to discuss their demands for keeping the coalition afloat, here’s a look at four possible scenarios for the months ahead. – ‘GroKo’ clings on – Incoming SPD leaders Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken are critical of Merkel’s grand right-left coalition, known as “GroKo” to Germans. But the pair have stopped short of calling for a vote on whether to stay in the loveless marriage at the December 6-8 congress. Instead, they want to tweak the hard-fought coalition agreement struck with Merkel’s centre-right CDU and its Bavarian CSU sister party after 2017’s inconclusive general elections. The duo are expected to ask SPD members to back a slew of new demands, including a higher minimum wage, more investment in Germany’s crumbling infrastructure and more ambitious climate policies. The other two coalition parties have ruled out renegotiating the coalition accord. UK election: the parties’ environmental plans But Merkel’s spokesman has said the veteran chancellor is “open to talks”. If a compromise is struck … Continue reading Stay or go? Four scenarios as Merkel partners debate future