Boosted by surge in polls, Germany's Scholz bets on coalition with Greens

FILE PHOTO: German Finance Minister, Vice-Chancellor and the Social Democratic Party's (SPD) main candidate Olaf Scholz poses for a photo after an election campaign event in Goettingen, Germany September 4, 2021. Jens Schlueter/Pool via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's centre-left chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz wants to lead Europe's largest economy in a coalition government with the left-leaning Greens, though polls suggest he would need the support of a third party to reach a stable majority in parliament.

Scholz and his Social Democrats (SPD) have opened up a five-point lead over Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives ahead of a Sept. 26 national election that promises multiple coalition options and unusually complicated negotiations.