German Chancellor Angela Merkel leads the first cabinet meeting of the German government after Sunday's general elections at the chancellery in Berlin, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
September 27, 2017 - 5:11 AM
BERLIN - Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman says Germany will consider French President Emmanuel Macron's proposals for the future of the European Union "with an open mind" but it's too early to comment on the details.
Spokesman Steffen Seibert said Merkel welcomes the fact that Macron on Tuesday "spoke with so much European passion and produced a lot of material for the necessary debate on Europe's future."
Macron, Merkel and the other 26 EU leaders will meet for an informal dinner in Estonia on Thursday ahead of a summit on Europe's digital future.
Merkel faces lengthy talks after Sunday's German election to form a government coalition. Seibert said Wednesday there can be no doubt about Merkel's "absolutely pro-European orientation" and "this fundamental conviction will not change."
News from © The Associated Press, 2017