BERLIN, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) is to announce a list of its cabinet ministers later Thursday for a grand coalition government under Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkel.

    German news agency DPA quoted sources as saying that SPD Chairman Franz Muentefering will host the crucial labor ministry, which controls by far the biggest chunk of federal budget.

    He will also serve as vice chancellor, which is a mainly symbolic post under the country's parliamentary system.

    Incumbent Finance Minister Hans Eichel said Thursday that former state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia Peer Steinbrueck will succeed him, adding that the 58-year-old Steinbrueck "will doit very well".

    Steinbrueck, who previously also served as North Rhine-Westphalia's finance minister, is seen as a right-winger of the SPD.

    Frank Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's chief-of-staff, is expected to take over the foreign ministry.

    Leipzig's Mayor Wolfgang Tiefensee will become both transport minister and a special commissioner responsible for activating east Germany's sluggish economy.

    Sigmar Gabriel, former premier of the state of Lower Saxony, will head the environment ministry.

    Sources said that current ministers who will probably keep their jobs include Health Minister Ulla Schmidt, Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries and Economic Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul.

    Schroeder will not play any role in the new government, thoughhe will take part in formal negotiations on forming a grand coalition between his SPD and Merkel's CDU/CSU alliance.

    The talks is to begin next week and expected to last till Nov.12.

    Under an agreement reached Monday between the CDU/CSU bloc andSPD, the two parties will hold eight ministries each with Merkel as chancellor.

    The CDU has not yet given a list of its ministers so far, except that Bavarian Premier Edmund Stoiber will become economics minister. Enditem