Aides to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and rival Angela Merkel showed no signs of compromise on their competing leadership claims as the pair met today for a second round of talks on forming a new German government.

Aides to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and rival Angela Merkel have sounded uncompromising notes on their competing leadership claims as the pair prepare for a second round of talks on forming a new German government.

GERMAN Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s party took aim at the “market radicalism” of the conservative opposition yesterday as it geared up for early national elections, signalling it will present itself as defending social programmes and workers’ rights.