Germany's outgoing FM bashes 'disrespectful' play by SPD chief

Berlin (dpa) - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel accused the head of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), Martin Schulz, of breaking his promises after recent coalition bargaining ended with a handover of fellow SPD member Gabriel‘s post - to Schulz. "The only thing left, really, is remorse over how disrespectful we‘ve become with one another in our dealings and how little someone‘s word still counts," Gabriel told newspapers of the Funke media group. Gabriel did not elaborate on which promises he had in mind. In January, as a favour to Schulz, Gabriel did not seek the party chairman or chancellor candidate positions in order to remain the foreign minister. It‘s rumoured that Schulz promised Gabriel at the time that he could keep his current role in a new grand coalition.However, on Wednesday, Schulz declared that he wanted the foreign minister job, even though he had said after the September election that he would not be in a cabinet under Chancellor Angela Merkel. For Gabriel, the move could mean a drop into irrelevance, despite recent polls finding him to be Germany‘s favourite politician. "I enjoyed the foreign minister post and apparently also was successful in it in the eyes of the public," said Gabriel. "And that‘s why it‘s clear, unfortunately, that the public‘s regard for my work meant absolutely nothing to the new SPD leadership." The SPD and Merkel‘s conservatives reached a deal on a coalition government this week, though it must still be approved by party members during conferences set for late February and early March.