UPDATE - German crisis not in France's interest, says Macron

UPDATES WITH ELYSEE STATEMENT

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA) - As German Chancellor Angela Merkel struggles to form a coalition government, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday the ongoing political stalemate was not in France’s interest.

"It is not in our interest that the process freezes up," Macron said, after speaking with Merkel by phone on Sunday.

He was talking to reporters as he received the head of the France’s center-right Republicans at the Elysee Palace for consultations on his European projects.

Macron, a close ally of Merkel, needs the German leader's support to push forward with his plans for reforming the European Union.

Germany is facing political deadlock after coalition talks with the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) to form a new government collapsed on Sunday.

This most likely means Europe's largest economy may have to hold snap elections.

Walking out of the negotiations, FDP head Christian Lindner said: "It is better not to govern than to govern wrongly."

Macron said Lindner's statements were "pretty tough", adding there is "a real risk" of a failure to achieve a coalition.

The French leader later said in a statement the German crisis reinforced the need for an "ambitious" European project.

"We want, for Germany and Europe, that our main partner is stable and strong, to move forward together," read the Elysee statement.

"This only reinforces the need for France to propose, to take initiatives, to work on an ambitious European project that we will implement with our German partner," it added.

"In the meantime, we continue to work with the German authorities since the German government remains in place."