Scholz dismisses finance minister as coalition government faces budget crisis
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner, leading the Free Democrats to withdraw from the coalition government. Scholz will now lead a minority government with the Greens for a few weeks. The dismissal followed disagreements over a €10 billion budget shortfall for 2025. Scholz criticized Lindner for rejecting proposals aimed at supporting the economy and accused him of "petty political tactics." Scholz plans to seek a vote of confidence in January 2025, likely leading to new elections in March. He aims to collaborate with the conservative opposition on urgent issues like defense and economic stability.