Social Democrats' chairman will be German vice-chancellor

Social Democratic Party chairman Franz Muentefering will serve as vice-chancellor and labour minister in a coalition government under conservative Chancellor-designate Angela Merkel, party officials said today.

Officials confirmed the choice during a meeting of party leaders on their choices for the new cabinet.

Peer Steinbruck, the former governor of North Rhine Westphalia state, will be Germany’s next finance minister, outgoing Finance Minister Hans Eichel said ahead of the meeting.

Social Democratic leaders met to approve their choices for ministers in a power-sharing deal struck with Merkel’s conservatives to resolve the inconclusive September 18 election, in which neither party received a majority for its preferred coalition.

ZDF television reported that the Social Democrats would put forward outgoing Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s chief of staff, Frank Walter Steinmeier, as foreign minister to replace outgoing Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer of the Greens.