Merkel wins over Social Democrats for talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Social Democratic Party leaders agreed to start official coalition talks, opening the path to forming Germany's next government. The SPD team "has the impression that negotiations make sense" and there's "a common foundation" to try and reach a coalition deal with Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc, SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel said in Berlin on Thursday after a third round of preliminary talks between the two sides.