Chancellor Scholz’s three-party coalition government has fallen apart, leaving Germany mired in a period of political instability. Disagreements between the chancellor and his finance minister Christian Lindner had bubbled for months, ultimately leading to the latter’s dismissal. That prompted two of Lindner’s party colleagues to resign, effectively dismantling the coalition and leaving the chancellor at the head of a minority government. The political turmoil in Berlin comes as Donald Trump’s second election victory leaves the world wondering whether American support will be pulled from Ukraine. Germany is the European Union’s largest economy, but its manufacturing sector has been struggling, while consumers have been affected by high inflation. The BBC’s Berlin correspondent Damien McGuinness and The Guardian’s Berlin correspondent Kate Connolly tell host Katya Adler about the roots of this crisis, and discuss how it may have ramifications around Europe and beyond. Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Alix Pickles Sound engineers: Mike Regaard Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Hello, I'm Katia Adler from the BBC World Service.
This is the global story today.
What is going on in Germany, traditionally seen as a tightened European power, the biggest economy in Europe, an export powerhouse on the world stage, Germany is now faced with the label of sick man of Europe, with its economy stagnating and as of last week, its governing coalition in tatters.
Now, of course, the attention in most of the world was focused on the US election results.
@ the time that Germany's government collapsed.
Too oft had Bundes Minister Lindner Gesetze.
Sachfrehmt, Blockhead centre left Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed his liberal finance minister.
And a snap that German election has now been set for 23rd February, with uncertainty already over how Europe will deal with the war in Ukraine now that Donald Trump has been re elected President of the United States.
This mess in Berlin couldn't have come at a worse time.
Today we're asking what's next for Germany and how could the fallout from events there be felt around Europe and beyond.
Today I'm joined by our correspondent In Berlin, Damien McGuinness.
Hello, Damien.
Hello, Katya.
And by Kate Connolly, who's the Berlin correspondent for the Guardian newspaper and a regular contributor to BBC programs and somebody who I've worked alongside for about a million years.