Germany's leader expected to lead country with minority government after coalition collapse

Date:

Share post:


BERLIN — After German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dramatically fired Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the pro-business Free Democrats in a late-night move after a marathon of crisis meetings, the three remaining ministers of the Free Democrats also resigned later at night effectively leading to the government coalition’s collapse.

Lindner will receive his certificate of dismissal from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday afternoon and, to ensure a smooth transition, a successor will likely be named right after. The posts of the research, transport and justice ministers who resigned may also be filled Thursday, German news agency dpa reported.

Scholz announced late Wednesday that he would seek a vote of confidence on Jan. 15 that he said might lead to an early election as soon as March — which otherwise would have been be due next September.

Scholz had accused Lindner of breaching his trust and publicly calling for a fundamentally different economic policy, including what the chancellor said would be tax cuts worth billions for a few top earners while at the same time cutting pensions for all retirees.

“That is not decent,” Scholz said.

Scholz’s left-leaning Social Democrats will now effectively lead a minority government with the remaining coalition partner, the environmentalist Greens.

The chancellor announced late Wednesday that he would reach out to the leader of the biggest opposition leader in parliament, Friedrich Merz from the center-right Christian Democrats, to confer on possible ways of strengthening the economy and defense, and passing important legislation through parliament.

The collapse of the coalition came after weeks of disputes among the coalition partners over ways to boost the country’s ailing economy.

Lindner’s pro-business Free Democrats had rejected tax increases or changes to Germany’s strict self-imposed limits on running up debt. Scholz’s Social Democrats and the Greens wanted to see major state investment and rejected the Free Democrats’ proposals to cut welfare programs.

However, pushing through new legislation and plugging the billion-euro hole in the 2025 budget won’t become easier for Scholz’s Social Democrats and the Greens as their government no longer has a majority in parliament.

The governor of the German state of Bavaria, Markus Söder, a leading figure in Germany’s center-right opposition, said that an early election should be held earlier than March.

“No more time can be lost now,” Söder wrote on X, calling for a new vote and government quickly. “There must be no tactical delays.”



Source link

Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes health, sport, tech, and more. Some of her favorite topics include the latest trends in fitness and wellness, the best ways to use technology to improve your life, and the latest developments in medical research.

Recent posts

Related articles

Italy opens procedure against China's Sinochem for possible breach of Pirelli governance

Italy has opened up an administrative procedure against China’s Sinochem, the largest shareholder in Italian tiremaker Pirelli,...

50 European leaders assess how Trump will affect their fortunes and seek a common stance on Russia

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Around 50 European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte,...

Sweden cuts its key rate by 0.5 percentage points to 2.75%, the largest reduction in over a decade

STOCKHOLM -- Sweden’s central bank on Thursday cut its key interest rate by half a percentage point...

Bank of England is set to cut interest rates despite potential new inflation worries

LONDON -- The Bank of England is set to cut interest rates later Thursday for the second...

China's exports grew 12.7% in October, fastest pace in more than 2 years

HONG KONG -- China's exports rose 12.7% in October from a year earlier, the fastest monthly growth...

Federal Reserve is set to cut interest rates again as post-election uncertainty grows

WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve officials are poised Thursday to reduce their key interest rate for a second...

Man who used legal loophole to live rent-free for years in NYC hotel found unfit to stand trial

NEW YORK -- A man charged with fraud for claiming to own a storied Manhattan hotel where...

Stock Market Today: Asian shares retreat after Trump's victory as focus turns to the Fed

Shares retreated in Asia early Thursday after U.S. stocks stormed to records as investors wagered on what...