German Chancellor Angela Merkel is seeking to distance her party from its coalition partner ahead of the state elections, local reports said Monday.
Merkel, speaking at the annual meeting of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Hanover, tried to distance her CDU from its Grand Coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), German radio Deutsch Welle reported.
Merkel accused her Social Democrat partners of restraining from economic reforms, saying that the SPD had given up the center ground in German politics, .
"The center ground is here. We and we alone are here in the center," Merkel said.
In her speech to some a thousand delegates, Merkel indicated she would stand firm on her understanding of foreign policy where she has repeatedly clashed with the social democrats recently.
Merkel has reportedly disputed with her Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, her most likely challenger in the general elections in 2009, on how to handle ties with China and Russia.
She also voiced her opposition to Turkey's joining the EU as a full member, calling instead for a "privileged partnership," which has been rejected by Turkey.
Source: Xinhua
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