Europe could be next mission for Merkel's 'Mr Fix It'BERLIN (Reuters) - Peter Altmaier once said he would never rise to the top tier of German politics because of his appearance   he is a huge man who seems perpetually dishevelled, with shirt untucked and tie askew.   But Chancellor Angela Merkel s chief of staff and stand-in finance chief could become the most influential minister in her next coalition government, senior officials say.     In recent years, Merkel has often turned to Altmaier, who is known as her  Allzweckwaffe  (all purpose weapon), to carry out the most sensitive and complex tasks, from securing majorities for unpopular Greek bailouts to coordinating the government s response to the 2015 refugee crisis.   Since a Sept. 24 election, he has also emerged as a bridge builder between the disparate parties in coalition talks.   If the talks succeed, some officials believe Merkel will try to keep him at the finance ministry so he can tackle what may be the biggest challenge of her fourth term: brokering a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron on a reform of the European Union.  If Merkel made him finance minister for this transition period, then it is a sign that she trusts him to do this job in the future,  a senior aide to the chancellor told Reuters.   Henrik Enderlein, head of the Delors Institut in Berlin, a think tank, said it would send a  very strong signal  to France if Altmaier continued in the finance ministry post.   The liberal Free Democrats (FDP) are expected to have first choice of ministry in the new government. But if their leader Christian Lindner does not claim the finance ministry for himself, Altmaier could be in pole position.    Although the FDP and members of Merkel s Christian Democrats (CDU) are skeptical about some of Macron s proposals - notably his idea to create a budget and finance minister for the euro zone - some believe Altmaier s tone alone would inject new momentum into the relationship between Berlin and Paris.   Altmaier, who declined to speak to Reuters for this story, has not said publicly whether he is interested in becoming finance minister permanently  After meeting French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire last week, he said not all proposals from Paris would be greeted with  unlimited enthusiasm . But he added:  I never made it a secret that I m an advocate of Franco-German cooperation.   A jovial 59-year-old from the state of Saarland on the French border, Altmaier stands out among politicians and the officials in Merkel s close entourage, dominated by technocrats. The son of a coal miner and a nurse, Altmaier was the first prominent German politician to actively embrace Twitter.   He hosts extravagant dinners at his vast apartment in west Berlin, cooking  Gefilde    a Saarland specialty of potato dumplings filled with liverwurst and soaked in a bacon-cream sauce   for guests of all political stripes.   Altmaier speaks fluent English, French and Dutch and, unlike his boss, is a master communicator.  He also likes to make fun of himself, particularly his weight, which he estimated several years ago at 140 kilos (309 pounds) but now describes as a  state secret .    I may not be the  wichtigste  (most important) minister but I am the  gewichtigste  (heaviest),  he has joked. After years as Merkel s  Mr Fix It , some CDU officials see him as a dark horse candidate to succeed the chancellor one day.   As parliamentary whip for the CDU, he won over skeptics about the Greek bailouts with home-cooked meals and red wine.    The thinner the majority, the fatter Altmaier gets,  Bundestag members used to quip.   Later, as Merkel s environment minister, he brought order to her nuclear power phase-out and was appointed her chief of staff in 2013. Two years later, she turned to Altmaier for help over the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees and again this year to write the CDU s election program.   In coalition talks between Merkel s conservatives, the FDP and Greens, Altmaier has been a mediator, gently nudging the parties closer together, participants say. Like Merkel, he is a CDU moderate. After joining the Bundestag in 1994, he incurred the wrath of traditionalists by pushing for a reform of strict German citizenship laws and the rehabilitation of World War Two deserters. He was part of the  Pizza Connection , a group of young lawmakers from the CDU and Greens who met regularly at an Italian restaurant in Bonn, when the environmentalist party was viewed as a radical, fringe group by many conservatives.   Before entering German politics, Altmaier studied European law and worked at the European Commission, later participating in the European Convention that led to the EU s Lisbon Treaty.    Altmaier is one of a small number of top-tier German politicians who has real experience in Brussels,  said Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who worked with Altmaier in the Convention in 2002.  He is a committed European and would be a powerful pro-European voice in any German government.  worldnews
europe could next mission merkel fix reuters peter altmaier said would never rise top tier german politics appearance huge man seems perpetually dishevelled shirt unlocked tie asked but chancellor angela merkel chief staff finance chief could become influential minister next coalition government senior officials say in recent years merkel often turned altmaier known allzweckwaffe purpose weapon carry sensitive complex tasks securing majorities unpopular greek bailout coordinating government response refugee crisis since election also emerged bridge builder disparate parties coalition talks if talks succeed officials believe merkel try keep finance ministry tackle may biggest challenge fourth term bordering deal french president emmanuel macron reform european union if merkel made finance minister transition period sign trusts job future senior aide chancellor told reuters henrik enderlein head delsort institut berlin think tank said would send strong signal france altmaier continued finance ministry post the liberal free democrats dp expected first choice ministry new government but leader christian winner claim finance ministry altmaier could pole position although dp members merkel christian democrats cdu skeptical macron proposals notably idea create budget finance minister euro zone believe altmaier tone alone would inject new momentum relationship berlin paris altmaier declined speak reuters story said publicly whether interested becoming finance minister permanently after meeting french finance minister bruno le maire last week said proposals paris would greeted unlimited enthusiasm but added i never made secret i advocate cooperation a social state garland french border altmaier stands among politicians officials merkel close entourage dominated technocrats the son coal miner nurse altmaier first prominent german politician actively embrace twitter he hosts extravagant dinners vast apartment west berlin cooking gefilde garland specialty potato dumping filled liverwurst soaked sauce guests political stripes altmaier speaks fluent english french dutch unlike boss master communicator he also likes make fun particularly weight estimated several years ago kills pounds describes state secret i may wichtigste important minister i gewichtigste heaviest joked after years merkel mr fix it cdu officials see dark horse candidate succeed chancellor one day as parliamentary whip cdu skeptics greek bailout meals red wine the thinner majority father altmaier gets bundestag members used quit later merkel environment minister brought order nuclear power appointed chief staff two years later turned altmaier help arrival hundreds thousands refugees year write cdu election program in coalition talks merkel conservatives dp greens altmaier mediator gently judging parties closer together participants say like merkel cdu moderate after joining bundestag incurred wrath traditionalist pushing reform strict german citizenship laws rehabilitation world war two deserters he part pizza connection group young lawmakers cdu greens met regularly italian restaurant bonn environmentalist party viewed radical fringe group many conservatives before entering german politics altmaier studied european law worked european commission later participating european convention led eu isbn treaty altmaier one small number german politicians real experience brussels said martin selmayr chief staff european commission president quicker worked altmaier convention he committed european would powerful voice german government worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Europe could be next mission for Merkel's 'Mr Fix It'BERLIN (Reuters) - Peter Altmaier once said he would never rise to the top tier of German politics because of his appearance   he is a huge man who seems perpetually dishevelled, with shirt untucked and tie askew.   But Chancellor Angela Merkel s chief of staff and stand-in finance chief could become the most influential minister in her next coalition government, senior officials say.     In recent years, Merkel has often turned to Altmaier, who is known as her  Allzweckwaffe  (all purpose weapon), to carry out the most sensitive and complex tasks, from securing majorities for unpopular Greek bailouts to coordinating the government s response to the 2015 refugee crisis.   Since a Sept. 24 election, he has also emerged as a bridge builder between the disparate parties in coalition talks.   If the talks succeed, some officials believe Merkel will try to keep him at the finance ministry so he can tackle what may be the biggest challenge of her fourth term: brokering a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron on a reform of the European Union.  If Merkel made him finance minister for this transition period, then it is a sign that she trusts him to do this job in the future,  a senior aide to the chancellor told Reuters.   Henrik Enderlein, head of the Delors Institut in Berlin, a think tank, said it would send a  very strong signal  to France if Altmaier continued in the finance ministry post.   The liberal Free Democrats (FDP) are expected to have first choice of ministry in the new government. But if their leader Christian Lindner does not claim the finance ministry for himself, Altmaier could be in pole position.    Although the FDP and members of Merkel s Christian Democrats (CDU) are skeptical about some of Macron s proposals - notably his idea to create a budget and finance minister for the euro zone - some believe Altmaier s tone alone would inject new momentum into the relationship between Berlin and Paris.   Altmaier, who declined to speak to Reuters for this story, has not said publicly whether he is interested in becoming finance minister permanently  After meeting French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire last week, he said not all proposals from Paris would be greeted with  unlimited enthusiasm . But he added:  I never made it a secret that I m an advocate of Franco-German cooperation.   A jovial 59-year-old from the state of Saarland on the French border, Altmaier stands out among politicians and the officials in Merkel s close entourage, dominated by technocrats. The son of a coal miner and a nurse, Altmaier was the first prominent German politician to actively embrace Twitter.   He hosts extravagant dinners at his vast apartment in west Berlin, cooking  Gefilde    a Saarland specialty of potato dumplings filled with liverwurst and soaked in a bacon-cream sauce   for guests of all political stripes.   Altmaier speaks fluent English, French and Dutch and, unlike his boss, is a master communicator.  He also likes to make fun of himself, particularly his weight, which he estimated several years ago at 140 kilos (309 pounds) but now describes as a  state secret .    I may not be the  wichtigste  (most important) minister but I am the  gewichtigste  (heaviest),  he has joked. After years as Merkel s  Mr Fix It , some CDU officials see him as a dark horse candidate to succeed the chancellor one day.   As parliamentary whip for the CDU, he won over skeptics about the Greek bailouts with home-cooked meals and red wine.    The thinner the majority, the fatter Altmaier gets,  Bundestag members used to quip.   Later, as Merkel s environment minister, he brought order to her nuclear power phase-out and was appointed her chief of staff in 2013. Two years later, she turned to Altmaier for help over the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees and again this year to write the CDU s election program.   In coalition talks between Merkel s conservatives, the FDP and Greens, Altmaier has been a mediator, gently nudging the parties closer together, participants say. Like Merkel, he is a CDU moderate. After joining the Bundestag in 1994, he incurred the wrath of traditionalists by pushing for a reform of strict German citizenship laws and the rehabilitation of World War Two deserters. He was part of the  Pizza Connection , a group of young lawmakers from the CDU and Greens who met regularly at an Italian restaurant in Bonn, when the environmentalist party was viewed as a radical, fringe group by many conservatives.   Before entering German politics, Altmaier studied European law and worked at the European Commission, later participating in the European Convention that led to the EU s Lisbon Treaty.    Altmaier is one of a small number of top-tier German politicians who has real experience in Brussels,  said Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who worked with Altmaier in the Convention in 2002.  He is a committed European and would be a powerful pro-European voice in any German government.  worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: europe could next mission merkel fix reuters peter altmaier said would never rise top tier german politics appearance huge man seems perpetually dishevelled shirt unlocked tie asked but chancellor angela merkel chief staff finance chief could become influential minister next coalition government senior officials say in recent years merkel often turned altmaier known allzweckwaffe purpose weapon carry sensitive complex tasks securing majorities unpopular greek bailout coordinating government response refugee crisis since election also emerged bridge builder disparate parties coalition talks if talks succeed officials believe merkel try keep finance ministry tackle may biggest challenge fourth term bordering deal french president emmanuel macron reform european union if merkel made finance minister transition period sign trusts job future senior aide chancellor told reuters henrik enderlein head delsort institut berlin think tank said would send strong signal france altmaier continued finance ministry post the liberal free democrats dp expected first choice ministry new government but leader christian winner claim finance ministry altmaier could pole position although dp members merkel christian democrats cdu skeptical macron proposals notably idea create budget finance minister euro zone believe altmaier tone alone would inject new momentum relationship berlin paris altmaier declined speak reuters story said publicly whether interested becoming finance minister permanently after meeting french finance minister bruno le maire last week said proposals paris would greeted unlimited enthusiasm but added i never made secret i advocate cooperation a social state garland french border altmaier stands among politicians officials merkel close entourage dominated technocrats the son coal miner nurse altmaier first prominent german politician actively embrace twitter he hosts extravagant dinners vast apartment west berlin cooking gefilde garland specialty potato dumping filled liverwurst soaked sauce guests political stripes altmaier speaks fluent english french dutch unlike boss master communicator he also likes make fun particularly weight estimated several years ago kills pounds describes state secret i may wichtigste important minister i gewichtigste heaviest joked after years merkel mr fix it cdu officials see dark horse candidate succeed chancellor one day as parliamentary whip cdu skeptics greek bailout meals red wine the thinner majority father altmaier gets bundestag members used quit later merkel environment minister brought order nuclear power appointed chief staff two years later turned altmaier help arrival hundreds thousands refugees year write cdu election program in coalition talks merkel conservatives dp greens altmaier mediator gently judging parties closer together participants say like merkel cdu moderate after joining bundestag incurred wrath traditionalist pushing reform strict german citizenship laws rehabilitation world war two deserters he part pizza connection group young lawmakers cdu greens met regularly italian restaurant bonn environmentalist party viewed radical fringe group many conservatives before entering german politics altmaier studied european law worked european commission later participating european convention led eu isbn treaty altmaier one small number german politicians real experience brussels said martin selmayr chief staff european commission president quicker worked altmaier convention he committed european would powerful voice german government worldnews