Veteran Schaeuble makes clear he wants to stay as German finance minister in Merkel's 3rd term
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Germany's powerful finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, is making clear that he'd like to stay in the job in Chancellor Angela Merkel's third term.
The 71-year-old Schaeuble has been a key figure in shaping Europe's debt crisis response, championing Germany's approach of seeking budget cuts and reforms in exchange for aid. He's a member of Merkel's Christian Democrats.
Merkel is expected to start her third term in mid-December in a new "grand coalition" with Germany's center-left Social Democrats — who are balloting members on whether to join the government. In deference to that, coalition leaders are keeping under wraps who will get what ministry.
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Schaeuble told Thursday's edition of the Handelsblatt daily he advised his party to try and keep the Finance Ministry and "wouldn't refuse" if asked to stay on.