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German coalition prospects in doubt

Chancellor-designate Angela Merkel faced a deepening political crisis after a leading conservative ally tapped to be economy minister announced Tuesday that he was quitting her coalition cabinet before it even takes office. Merkel, speaking to reporters less than an hour after conservative Edmund Stoiber dropped out of her left-right alliance, insisted she was "bound and determined" to build a stable government.

Merkel`s conservatives and the Social Democrats tentatively agreed to form an alliance after an inconclusive September election handed neither side a clear majority. The two sides hope to have an agreement in time for Parliament to elect Merkel as Germany`s first female chancellor on November 22.

The turmoil was sparked Monday when Merkel`s intended deputy chancellor, Franz Muentefering, announced he was quitting as leader of the left-leaning Social Democratic Party. He said he did not know whether he would take the job as Merkel`s deputy.