German conservative leader Armin Laschet is facing mounting unrest within his party, after their historic defeat in federal elections.
As he and the other party leaders met colleagues to decide their next steps, support for his bid to form a coalition drained away.
Bavarian Premier Markus Söder offered little hope when he said the centre left had the best chance.
Election winner Olaf Scholz will need the support of two other parties.
The Social Democrat leader called for urgent talks with the Greens and liberals, but their leaders planned to meet each other first.
Mr Scholz has been buoyed by opinion polls that suggest widespread backing for a three-way government.
Half of Germans want his party to run the country with the Greens and pro-business FDP in what they call a “traffic light” coalition, because of the party colours.
The Bavarian premier said “there’s a small possibility that the traffic light won’t work”: the conservatives were ready for coalition talks, but wouldn’t ingratiate themselves.
Only 22 per cent of Germans think it should be Mr Laschet’s conservative CDU at the helm of a “Jamaica” coalition.
Armin Laschet was picked by the conservatives to take over as chancellor after 16 years of Angela Merkel in power.
Even before the vote there was frustration in the CDU at gaffes in his campaign. While his poll ratings slipped, Markus Söder remained popular as head of Bavarian sister party, the CSU.
The talk in Berlin on Tuesday was that conservative colleagues might even approach Mr Söder to front a coalition with the Greens and liberals. The Bavarian leader said: “It’s Mr Scholz who has the best chance of becoming chancellor.”
The losing candidate is not without support, but it is dwindling.
Leading CDU figure Julia Klöckner is among the few who have publicly backed a CDU-led government: the party needs to renew itself but could still do it in government, she says.
The party’s top official in Hamburg, Christoph Ploss, said the CDU should take soundings with its potential coalition partners: “We have to move forward step by step.”
Two separate polls indicate widespread support for a government led by Olaf Scholz.
A Forsa poll said 56 per cent wanted him to be chancellor, while a mere 11 per cent preferred Mr Laschet and 67 per cent thought he should resign. -BBC
