Newsweek

German Far-Right Narrowly Held Back in State Election

Scholz’s party dismisses questions about German leader’s election candidacy

Spectator (UK)

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Breitbart

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Business Insider

Germany dodges a second far-right win, but only just

German voters fend off far-right in latest state vote, early results suggest

Olaf Scholz has won a hollow victory in Brandenburg’s state elections

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's opposition Christian Democratic Union party, called for an immediate no-confidence vote on Thursday, a day after Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked the head of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner.

Politico

Amid budget disagreements, Scholz said On Wednesday that Lindner had "broken my trust too often" and shown "no willingness to implement the offer for the good of our country." Meanwhile, Lindner accused Scholz of playing down "the economic concerns of the citizens."

Hours after Lindner's sacking, the FDP ejected from the three-way ruling coalition, with Scholz's Social Democrats and the Greens still paired up. Jörg Kukies has been appointed as Germany's new finance minister.

CNBC

In a statement following the collapse of Germany's coalition government, Scholz said he would seek a vote of confidence on Jan. 15 and, depending on its outcome, conduct snap elections in March — six months ahead of elections originally scheduled for September.

Guardian

BBC News

However, Merz, leader of the opposition conservatives who are leading in nationwide polls, rejected Scholz's plan and called for a vote of confidence "at the latest by the beginning of next week.

Reuters

Germany's economy, which faced a slump last year with a 0.3% decline in gross domestic product, is expected to shrink by 0.2% in 2024 — a sharp downgrade from the 0.3% expansion previously forecast.

EuroNews

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Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's opposition Christian Democratic Union party, on Thursday called for snap elections a day after Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked the head of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner.

Politico #

On Wednesday, Scholz said Lindner had "broken my trust too often" and shown "no willingness to implement the offer for the good of our country." Meanwhile, Lindner accused Scholz of playing down "the economic concerns of the citizens."

Hours after Lindner's sacking, the FDP ejected from the three-way ruling coalition. Scholz now heads a minority government with the Greens, while Jörg Kukies has been appointed as Germany's new finance minister.

CNBC #

Newsweek #

In a statement following the collapse of Germany's coalition government, Scholz said he would seek a vote of confidence on Jan. 15, 2025, and, depending on its outcome, conduct snap elections in March — six months ahead of elections originally scheduled for September.

Guardian #3581

However, Merz, leader of the opposition conservatives who are leading in nationwide polls, rejected Scholz's plan and called for a vote of confidence "at the latest by the beginning of next week," arguing "the coalition no longer has a majority in the German Bundestag."

Scholz would have liked to have spared Germans this difficult situation, but he was compelled to sack Lindner to prevent damage to the country. Given the surge in support for fringe parties in recent regional polls, an early election would throw Europe's largest economy into a prolonged period of uncertainty.

NPR #2423

Germany's coalition government collapses as Chancellor Scholz fires his finance chief

There's a 5% chance that the Christian Democratic Union of Germany will announce that it is open to negotiating a coalition with the Alternative for Germany before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Metaculus

Metaculus #

CDU open to AfD coalition by 2030

Sean Gallup/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

Germany Heads to Snap Election as Coalition Govt Collapses

Politics

Germany

Scholz's brand of selfishness is utterly incomprehensible. Germany can't afford a months-long political deadlock. With a flatlining economy, shortage of skilled labor, aging infrastructure, and an unprepared military, Germans need a stable, responsible, and decisive government — one that has a majority in the Bundestag and can act quickly.

Germany Heads to Snap Election as Coalition Govt Collapses

Germany Heads to Snap Election as Coalition Govt Collapses

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Metaculus Prediction

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Germany Heads to Snap Election as Coalition Govt Collapses

Germany Heads to Snap Election as Coalition Govt Collapses

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

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