The turmoil comes after the re-election of Donald Trump, which could trigger a new transatlantic trade war and a rethink of Europe’s defence relationship with Washington.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a snap election after his fractious, three-way coalition finally collapsed over how to revive the lacklustre economy.
The government turmoil comes on the heels of the re-election of Donald Trump in the US, which has raised the prospect of a new transatlantic trade war and has forced a reassessment of Europe’s defence relationship with Washington. Germany is also struggling with a stagnating economy that has seen a lengthy retreat in its manufacturing sector.
The conservative CDU/CSU alliance under Friedrich Merz is currently leading in opinion polls with more than 30 per cent of the vote and would be in prime position to win an early ballot, restoring it to power after it lost to Scholz’s SPD three years ago.Scholz argued that Germany needs “more financial wiggle room” to deal with the difficulties it confronts.
“Olaf Scholz has long since ceased to be interested in an agreement that is acceptable to all, but rather in a calculated break-up of this coalition,” Lindner said in a statement. “In doing so, he is leading Germany into a phase of uncertainty.” Meanwhile, his cabinet has approved a draft law that would allow the army to gauge the readiness of the country’s 18-year-olds to serve in the Bundeswehr as it looks to boost troop numbers for NATO obligations without resorting to conscription.
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