国际英语新闻：Merkel seeks quick approval of euro aid package after election setback

At a separate press conference on Monday, Merkel announced her government would take budget management as a "priority" and abandon previous plans of cutting taxes in next three years.

"The coalition must set its priorities clearly now," she said. "From my point of view, firstly the tax cuts cannot be implemented in the foreseeable future."

Some analysis said the tax cut plan, pushed for by the business- pro FDP as a way to stimulate the economy, has slim chances of passing the German parliament, since the bad outcome in the NRW election made Merkel's coalition lose its majority in the federal upper house, or the Bundesrat, and cast a shadow on her political agenda, including tax cuts, healthcare reform and extending the lifespan of nuclear power plants.

The main opposition SPD has not revealed its attitude toward the EU aid package, but said earlier that it would use its power in the upper house to veto tax cuts.

Merkel's center-right coalition of the CDU and the FDP still has a clear majority in the lower house of the parliament, or the Bundestag.