Scholz speaks on confidence vote, readiness to work with Trump

Admin I Friday, November 08, 2024

 

BUDAPEST – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed his willingness to work with future US president Donald Trump, at an informal EU summit in Budapest on Friday,  just as he said he is open to negotiation on  confidence vote as pressure mounts.

Scholz has already fixed January 15, 2025 for the confidence vote in Bundestag.

However, he emphasized that Europe must strengthen cooperation in the security sector. “We must work together as the European Union, as Europeans, to do what is necessary for our own security,” he said. “This will be successful if everyone plays their part.”

Scholz pointed out that this year, for the first time in decades, Germany is spending more than 2% of its gross domestic product on defence. “Others want to do this and will follow suit,” he said.

Scholz reached out to Trump on Wednesday, immediately after his election victory, offering Trump a reliable partnership. On Friday in Budapest he said Europe would “continue to work well with the future American president.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday said he was prepared to negotiate over the date of a vote of confidence in his government, after the collapse of his three-party coalition.

In Budapest for an informal EU summit, Scholz said: “We should discuss the date as calmly as possible.”

Scholz has proposed holding the vote of confidence in the Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, on January 15. This would likely mean fresh elections in March.

However, opposition parties have called for the vote to be held as quickly as possible, even next week, in order for new elections to be held earlier.

The chancellor said he wanted Germany’s democratic parties to reach an understanding over “which laws can still be passed this year” before agreeing over a date for the vote of confidence.