Habeck appeals to Germans as political crisis show no signs of easing

Admin l Thursday, November 07, 2024

 

BERLIN – Robert Habeck, Germany’s economy minister and vice chancellor, has appealed to citizens to keep faith in the country’s democracy, despite the current political crisis.

“Do not doubt the strength of this country. We have overcome completely different challenges,” said Habeck, a key Green Party member, in a statement released by his ministry on X on Wednesday.

“We have solved completely different problems. Do not doubt democracy,” he said.

On Wednesday Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired Christian Lindner, who was the finance minister, and called for a confidence vote on January 15 that could trigger early elections. Lindner then pulled his pro-business Free Democrats out of the government coalition.

Habeck admitted that the quarrelling among the three coalition partners – the Social Democrats, Greens and the FDP – had eroded trust in government and politics.

“It was an unpopular government,” he said. Still he felt the breakup of the coalition could have been avoided. Until there are new elections, Habeck said he would fulfil his duties to the best of his abilities.