During the first Bundestag session since the collapse of Germany’s ruling coalition last week, the leader of the largest opposition party, Friedrich Merz, outlined his vision for the country’s future in a heated debate.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for compromise to keep Germany functioning, while Merz effectively launched his election campaign in a fully attended Bundestag meeting just one week after the coalition’s disintegration.
Taking the stand with an unusually defiant tone, Scholz urged parliament to come together to pass crucial pending legislation, including tax reforms and child benefit measures, both before and after the expected vote of no confidence on 16 December, which he is anticipated to lose.
Acknowledging the need for broader support, Scholz appealed to other parties, particularly the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), to help secure the necessary parliamentary votes to advance the government’s reform agenda.
The collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition last Wednesday came after he dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who subsequently withdrew his ministers from the coalition. Scholz defended his actions in his speech, calling them “necessary, right, and unavoidable.”
Despite Merz’s pledge to work with Scholz, he did not miss the opportunity to criticise the Chancellor for “pretending to have a majority that no longer exists.”
Merz also promised to reverse the government’s current climate policies and take a drastically different approach to migration, advocating for stricter border controls and deportations. Additionally, he vowed that a CDU-led government would enhance Germany’s standing as a modern transport hub and improve digital infrastructure.
With 33% of voter support, the CDU appears to be in the strongest position to take power in the upcoming elections, now set for 23 February following a week of intense negotiations.
via Euronews
