Germany's ruling coalition collapses after finance minister's dismissal
Germany's ruling coalition collapsed this week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister over a budget dispute. The Free Democratic Party then withdrew from the coalition, leaving the Social Democrats and Greens without a parliamentary majority. The coalition faced challenges from the start, with Scholz's popularity declining and economic growth stagnating. Rising energy costs and competition from Chinese electric imports have further strained the economy. Scholz plans to call a vote of confidence in January, but he is expected to lose. This could lead to early elections and a significant shift in German politics, as opposition parties push for a new government.