Party vote provides slight relief for Germany’s troubled coalition – POLITICO

BERLIN — The rulers of Germany’s fractious three-party coalition government can breathe a small sigh of relief. In an internal party referendum, some 52 percent of members of the fiscally conservative Free Democratic Party (FDP) supported remaining in the ruling coalition, relieving some of the pressure on the FDP’s leadership to withdraw from the alliance … Read more

Tinubu promises Nigerians reliable power supply

President Bola Tinubu has said he is committed to a new deal to speed up the delivery of the Siemens Energy power project that will ultimately deliver a reliable supply of electricity to Nigerian homes. Mr Tinubu said this in his New Year broadcast on Monday. “Just this past December during COP28 in Dubai, the … Read more

Why Germany’s lifeless coalition won’t die – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a simple promise to Germans after taking office: “You’ll never walk alone.”  Scholz, a Social Democrat, borrowed the phrase from Liverpool Football Club’s anthem and has invoked it, mantra-like, at moments of tension, such as when Russia … Read more

Naughty or nice? How Santa decides which politicians get Christmas gifts – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Guess who’s back? Yes, it’s that time of year again. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas — but this job gets tougher as the years go by: long hours, no breaks and the pay is terrible (milk and cookies! Who gets paid in food … Read more

Ukrainian ambassador denies German pressure for peace talks with Russia – POLITICO

BERLIN — Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany on Saturday rejected claims that Berlin may be pressuring Kyiv behind closed doors to reach a peace deal with Russia. The speculation has been fueled by a report in the German magazine Der Spiegel on Friday about a secret “Russia dinner” in the German embassy in Washington in late … Read more

POLITICO’s quiz of the year 2023 – POLITICO

<p><strong><span style=”color: rgb(0, 0, 0)”>Which of these European commissioners did not step away from Ursula von der Leyen’s top team this year?</span></strong></p> Jutta Urpilainen Ylva Johansson Mariya Gabriel <p><strong><span style=”color: rgb(0, 0, 0)”>Von der Leyen joined Mark Rutte and Giorgia Meloni on a trip to which country to strike a deal to limit migrant departures?</span></strong></p> … Read more

Germany plans partial reform of its debt brake, Lindner says – POLITICO

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced plans to reform the country’s debt rules to allow more spending in times of economic downturn, while also voicing criticism over planned price increases for farmers and airlines. In an interview with German regional newspapers published Saturday, Lindner said he intends to revise an economic calculation component that defines … Read more

German Chancellor announces 2024 budget plan after debt crisis talks

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Economy and Climate Action Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) listen during the Budgetary debate in the plenary hall of the German Lower house of Parliament or Bundestag on November 28, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. Michele Tantussi | Getty Images News | Getty Images Germany’s … Read more