Political instability in Germany is damaging the European Union at a time when the bloc needs to be strong, several EU leaders have warned.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz’s sacking of finance minister Christian Lindner, who leads the liberal Free Democratic Party that made up one part of his three-way coalition, has heightened the likelihood of a snap election in the coming months.
Mr Scholz, who fired his finance minister after a serious breakdown in relations over budget negotiations, skipped a meeting of European leaders in Budapest on Thursday morning as he dealt with the domestic political fallout.
Speaking on her way into the summit of the European Political Community, a forum of 47 government leaders from across Europe, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said “we need a strong Germany to build a strong Europe”.
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Luc Frieden, prime minister of Luxembourg, said he hoped an election in Germany would “clarify” the situation, as the current “instability” in Berlin and elsewhere was harming Europe. “In France they have no government with a strong majority in parliament, in Germany we have no majority in parliament, in Belgium there is still a coalition formation [ongoing talks]. There is instability and this is not good,” he said.
Alexander De Croo, the caretaker prime minister in Belgium, said the fracturing of the coalition government in Germany posed difficulties, but they should not be overblown. “Germany is the economic engine, but we do not have to overdramatise this government crisis. It does not stop the economy and the influence Germany has,” he said.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the political crisis was “for Germany to discuss”. Dr von der Leyen, who comes from the party leading the opposition, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, said it was important for the EU to “stay the course” in the face of several mounting challenges.
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