That is an understatement. The so-called traffic-light coalition under outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), seemed to spend more time bickering with itself than with the opposition. When Scholz sacked his finance minister, the liberal FDP party chief Christian Lindner, last month, he triggered the confidence vote, which he lost on Monday. It paves the way for early elections next 23 February. Few will mourn the coalition’s collapse.
Germany is set to hold early elections in February after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government was dismissed in a no-confidence vote in the Bundestag on Monday (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
This election is not just about Germany, though. When Europe’s largest economy sneezes, everyone else catches a cold. But this time, the stakes are even higher, with implications ranging from EU stability to the global economy.
Yet Macron remains active on the European stage. Under the overly cautious, self-effacing Scholz, Germany has been virtually absent from the European conversation. But the so-called Franco-German motor is considered indispensable for driving the EU. While Macron might imagine himself as Europe’s natural leader, he still needs a steady partner in Berlin.
And then there’s Ukraine. Germany’s election could reshape the Western response to Russia’s ongoing war. Scholz promised a Zeitenwende — or turning point — after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 but has held back on supplying crucial weaponry.
Ukrainian civilians wearing military uniforms take part in training organized by soldiers from the Third Separate Assault Brigade in Kyiv (Photo: Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP)The conservative CDU-CSU alliance, currently at around 32 per cent, is expected to emerge victorious, followed by the far-right AfD party at 18 per cent.
He will still need a coalition partner, which could mean either the SPD or the Greens. If he does turn to the SPD – as his CDU predecessor Angela Merkel did many times in her 16 years as Chancellor – it is unlikely to be with Scholz. During the Bundestag debate, Merz lambasted the SPD leader: “You are embarrassing Germany,” Merz said, adding that it was “shameful” how Scholz was seen by other EU leaders.
square WORLD Europe is having a meltdown – it’s a big problem for Britain
Read More
He could get his wish: SPD officials are mulling whether to ditch Scholz before the election. The outgoing Chancellor is now so unpopular that some in his party are urging him to follow US President Joe Biden’s example and step aside for someone else, like the SPD’s affable Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. That could lay the ground for a new right-left coalition — although, given how fractious the last one was, Germany will not be holding its breath for a more harmonious political era.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( What German Chancellor Scholz losing confidence vote means for an EU in turmoil )
Also on site :