Social Democrats in east reject proposed German coalition

BERLIN (AP) - Members of the center-left Social Democratic Party in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state have voted against a proposed national-level coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's bloc.

German news agency dpa reported that delegates at a party convention in the eastern state narrowly backed a motion by the youth wing on Saturday rejecting a renewal of the "grand coalition" that has governed Germany since 2013.

The Social Democrats' leadership hammered out a deal Friday with Merkel's Union bloc that will be put to members on Jan. 21.

Critics of continuing a coalition with Merkel's conservatives say the alliance has cost the Social Democrats substantial voter support and the party should instead seek to strengthen its profile by spending the next term in opposition.