The general secretary of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's junior coalition partner says the possibility of Greece leaving the eurozone cannot be ruled out.

Christian Lindner said Monday in an interview on ZDF television that the goal is to keep Greece in the eurozone and if the country continues its austerity measures and other changes, European bailout money would keep coming.

But the Free Democrat politician says other ideas need to be considered, including the possibility of letting Greece default.

He says: "In the final analysis, one also cannot rule out that Greece either must, or would want to, leave the eurozone."

Germany has taken on a leading role in helping to bail out other members of the 17-nation eurozone, but is demanding long-term changes to Europe's fiscal policy.