BERLIN - Senior figures from Germany's conservatives and the Social Democrats will begin exploratory talks on forming a coalition government on Friday, sources at the parties told Reuters.

Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative bloc which came first in Sunday's election, has said he wants a government in place by Easter on April 20, a deadline seen as tight given the deep differences between the parties.

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Difficulties could be further exacerbated by Merz's abrasive style, which has already drawn angry rebukes from his potential partner.

A coalition between the conservatives and the third-placed SPD is the only mathematical possibility for forming a government if all parties stick to a commitment not to govern with the Alternative for Germany, which came second, the best performance by a German far-right party since World War Two.

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The exploratory talks, involving nine senior figures from each party, could later lead to more detailed discussions involving working parties for different policy areas, with the aim of drawing up a detailed programme for a four-year legislative agenda.

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The conservatives focused their campaign on economic deregulation and a promise to curtail immigration. The SPD, whose Olaf Scholz remains acting chancellor until a new government is formed, wants a minimum wage hike and opposes Merz's vision for tighter border controls.