SPD says Merkel may have to consider state aid at Opel

BERLIN, April 12 (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to consider the government taking a stake in General Motors' GM.N German unit Opel if all other efforts to rescue the carmaker fail, SPD leader Franz Muentefering said on Sunday.

In an interview with Bild am Sonntag newspaper, the chairman of the Social Democrats, who share power with Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), said there 25,000 jobs at stake and the company is too important to simply let it fail if no investor is found.

"Frau Merkel will not be able to continue refusing state participation in Opel if that turns out to be the only way to rescue Opel," said Muentefering, who added he and his party also would prefer a private investor taking a stake in Opel.

"There are too many jobs on the line," said Muentefering.

The SPD chairman also pointed out that four state leaders where Opel plants are based have also signalled that a government rescue cannot be ruled out.

They include three CDU state premiers -- Roland Koch of Hesse, Juergen Ruettgers of North Rhine-Westphalia and Dieter Althaus of Thuringia -- as well as SPD state premier Kurt Beck in Rhineland-Palatinate.

"I don't think it's very smart of the chancellor and others (in the CDU) have ruled it out," said Muentefering. "We shouldn't rule out anything that may be necessary."

He said he clearly preferred a private investor solution.

"I'm all for that. But even if we can find an investor, it could be possible that at least for a transition period the state might have to help Opel," he said.