Merkel battles to stay in power despite crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday she was ready to lead her party into snap elections after the collapse of high-stakes coalition talks plunged the EU's top economy into a political crisis.The veteran leader said she was "very sceptical" about a minority government, stressing that Germany needed a stable government "that does not need to seek a majority for every decision".President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who holds the power to call a new vote, made it clear that this was not his fav