Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under pressure to trigger a new election, after the coalition government collapsed on 6 November after Scholz fired his finance minister.
German opposition parties and business groups on Thursday urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz to trigger a new election quickly to minimise political uncertainty after his rocky three-way coalition collapsed.
The coalition fell apart on Wednesday when years of tensions culminated in a row over how to plug a multi-billion-euro hole in the budget and revive Europe's largest economy, headed for its second year of contraction.
The break-up creates a leadership vacuum at the heart of the European Union just as it seeks a united response to Tuesday's election of Donald Trump as U.S. president on issues ranging from possible new U.S. trade tariffs to Russia's war in Ukraine and the future of the U.S.-led NATO alliance.
The chancellor said he would hold a confidence vote in January, which he would probably lose, triggering a new election by the end of March - six months ahead of schedule.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition conservatives, who are leading in nationwide polls, called for a vote of confidence "by the beginning of next week at the latest", in comments echoed by other opposition parties.
An election could take place in late January, he said.
"We simply cannot afford to have a government without a majority in Germany for several months now, followed by an election campaign for several more months and then possibly several weeks of coalition negotiations," Merz told reporters.
Scholz, of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), said he had fired his finance minister, Christian Lindner of the fiscally conservative Free Democrats (FDP), for obstructing a resolution of budget disputes.
The last straw was his opposition to Scholz's plan to ease debt limits in order to increase support for Ukraine in the 2025 budget by 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion).
Lindner's dismissal led to the FDP quitting the coalition, leaving Scholz's SPD and the Greens running a minority government and relying on cobbled-together majorities to pass any substantial measures in parliament.
A meeting between Scholz and Merz on Thursday failed to solve the impasse, a government source said.
Joerg Kukies, a top official in the chancellery and close SPD ally of Scholz, will be named finance minister.
The crisis comes at a critical juncture for Germany, with a flatlining economy, ageing infrastructure and an unprepared military. It is likely to deal another blow to consumption and investment in coming months even as Trump's return threatens to dampen exports, economists said.
The FDP's exit is likely to spell the departure of the government's transatlantic coordinator, who has spent months cultivating ties with senior U.S. Republicans in preparation for a possible Trump return to the White House.
But the crisis could also be a long-term blessing given the tensions that have plagued the coalition, the first of its kind at national level, said ING economist Carsten Brzeski.
"Elections and a new government could and should end the current paralysis of an entire country and offer new and clear policy guidance and certainty," he said.
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The UK government has unveiled a new package of asylum reforms that will significantly tighten access to refugee status and expand enforced family removals. Under the new rules, successful asylum seekers will now have to wait 20 years—up from five—before applying for permanent residency.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that the European Union must transform into a European defence union amid growing international security challenges.
Government ministers from around the world were preparing for a final few fraught days of talks at the U.N. climate summit as they bid to secure a deal that demonstrates global resolve amid increasing assertiveness from developing nations.
On 18–19 November, Iran’s Gilan Province, in the city of Rasht, will bring together the leaders of the Caspian littoral regions. The two-day meeting will gather delegations from all five Caspian states – Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Ukraine is facing a sharp escalation in fighting across several fronts, with Russian forces launching large-scale offensive operations while Kyiv intensifies long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory.
Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of what it described as a broader offensive aimed at securing full control of the strategic territory.
Storm Claudia, which brought violent weather to Portugal, has resulted in the deaths of three people and left dozens injured, authorities reported on Saturday. Meanwhile, in Britain, rescue teams were organising evacuations due to heavy flooding in Wales and England.
U.S. President Donald Trump purchased at least $82 million in corporate and municipal bonds between late August and early October, including new investments in sectors benefiting from his policies, according to financial disclosures made public on Saturday.
Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of a broader offensive aimed at seizing full control of the area.
The number of newly enrolled international students at U.S. colleges and universities fell by 17% this autumn, a report shows, with policies under the Trump administration cited as a key factor.
The number of first-time asylum applicants in the European Union fell by 27% in August 2025, Eurostat data shows. A total of 51,465 people applied for international protection for the first time, down from 70,290 in August 2024 and 55,390 in July 2025.
The U.S. Southern Command announced on Sunday that a military strike in the Eastern Pacific killed three individuals suspected of narcotics smuggling. The operation was carried out by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear under the direction of Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that his country will purchase 100 Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France. The deal forms part of a broader defence cooperation agreement signed with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The UK government has unveiled a new package of asylum reforms that will significantly tighten access to refugee status and expand enforced family removals. Under the new rules, successful asylum seekers will now have to wait 20 years—up from five—before applying for permanent residency.
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