Merkel seeks big-hitting allies for new German govt

Berlin--In order to consolidate her position and to steer the country to a great new heights, Merkel, the new chancellor is looking for people who can do big wonders for the country. Germany's incoming chancellor Angela Merkel huddled with party leaders on Friday seeking big-hitting conservative ministers able to hold their own against coalition partners loyal to Gerhard Schroeder. 

The deal which saw Merkel land the job of chancellor and oust Schroeder came at the price of handing eight ministries, including key roles, to the outgoing chancellor's Social Democrats.

The names of the new Social Democrat ministers were announced yesterday, incluing a powerful former state premier, Peer Steinbrueck, at the finance ministry and a trusted Schroeder lieutenant, Frank Walter Steinmeier, as foreign minister.

The conservatives are expected on Monday, ahead of the start of negotiations to hamme out the government's programme, to announce who will fill their six cabinet posts: at economy, interior, defence, agriculture, education and family, as well as the speaker's chair.

Many posts would only be decided when the party's leadership had completed discussions set to stretch into the weekend, officials said.

Guenther Oettinger, the state premier of Baden Wuerttemberg, said, "Some ministries are still in the air, others are foreseeable."

[inline:1]The only job announced so far is the economy minister, with the conservative leader of the powerful state of Bavaria, Edmund Stoiber, taking the job.