German SPD leader gives up bid for foreign minister in new gov't

BERLIN - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) chairman Martin Schulz announced on Friday that he would not pursue ministerial post in the next German government, including the foreign minister.

"At the same time, I sincerely hope that this will end the personnel debates within the SPD... my own personal ambitions must be placed behind the interests of the party," Schulz said.

The former president of the European Parliament said he believed the internal dispute of SPD may risk the coalition deal with the Conservatives Union led by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The SPD, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union reached the coalition deal on Wednesday, which will possibly end the new government vacuum since the Sept 24 federal election, the longest period ever since 1949.

However, the agreement is subject to the approval of the total SPD party members, over 460,000 in number, in the coming weeks. Many young and leftist members are against the renewed so-called Grand Coalition between the SPD and the Union.

The SPD suffered its worst post-war electoral result, garnering just 20.5 percent of the vote, at the federal elections.