Christian Lindner

Amid growing concerns over the reliability of the United States' nuclear shield under a potential second term of Donald Trump, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has suggested the possibility of a European nuclear shield, with contributions from the United Kingdom and France.

According to the results of the survey, the social democratic head of government is favored by only 19 percent of respondents.
According to the ARD/Infratest public opinion survey, Scholz has one percent less support than in December, which is the lowest value in the Infratest survey on the popularity of a federal chancellor since 1997.

France and Germany will discuss later this month how strict new EU fiscal and debt rules should be, to create a basis for a pan-European deal by the end of the year, the finance ministers of both countries said on Thursday.

At a tense meeting of representatives of the federal authorities, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with the prime ministers of 16 German states, a resolution was agreed upon, in which it is written that "the Federal Government will investigate whether the determination of the protection status of refugees can be carried out during their transit in third countries".

A more flexible Stability Pact, adapted to the particularities of each country, which will impose fiscal prudence but not lead to suffocation, leaving fiscal space for investments, especially for the green and digital transition, is what has emerged from the Commission's proposals and will be discussed by the EU finance ministers on Thursday in Luxembourg.

Germany has said it expected its tax intake to be smaller than initially expected in 2024, adding to budget tensions dividing the Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition.

Berlin would collect 30.8 billion euros ($33.6 billion) fewer than previously expected in the coming year, according to a biannual estimate published by the finance ministry.

Eurozone finance ministers are expected to signal Greece's exit from the enhanced supervision regime.

The Finance Ministers are meeting in Luxembourg today, where, they are expected to approve the 14th (and final) Evaluation Report of the European institutions for Greece.

The long-awaited visit of Foreign Minister Analena Berbock (of the Greens) may have been canceled due to covid, but the line-up of top German politicians in Greece is no way over. On Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visited Thessaloniki for a "Balkan dinner".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that his government remains committed to phasing out nuclear power despite concerns about rising energy prices and possible future shortages due to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Germany has released nearly 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) to acquire floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals, as it seeks to move away from dependence on Russian gas.