Christian Lindner

The three parties exploring a possible coalition in Germany face an early test of their willingness to compromise on Thursday when they try to hammer out a common stance on deeply divisive immigration and asylum policy, Reuters reports. 

Former finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was elected speaker of Germany's lower house of parliament on Tuesday, a position from which he will try to impose discipline on far-right lawmakers who opposed his appointment, reported Reuters.

The leader of Germany's Free Democrats (FDP), Christian Lindner, seen as a likely successor at the finance ministry if his pro-business party enters a coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), has criticized outgoing Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble for not being tough enough on Greece.

The German Free Democratic Party, which after four years of absence returns to parliament after gaining 10.7 per cent of the vote in yesterday's elections, reiterated its position that the fact of annexing the Crimea to Russia should be accepted in order to improve relations with Moscow , DPA reported.

Greece should leave the eurozone and then be given debt relief, the head of Germany's pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) told a German radio station on Thursday.

Greece should, however, remain in the European Union, FDP leader Christian Lindner told Deutschlandfunk, so it can get subsidies to put into infrastructure or help small- and medium-sized businesses.