Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz fires rebellious finance minister

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) and German Finance Minister and Free Democrats Party leader Christian Lindner. Photo / AFP

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has fired his rebellious Finance Minister Christian Lindner, spelling the end of the current three-party coalition.

The move came after weeks of bitter feuding that have rocked the coalition Government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, Linder’s Free Democrats, and the Greens.

Scholz fired his finance minister during a crunch meeting of senior figures from all three parties at the chancellery, Scholz’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit told AFP.

Lindner had proposed sweeping reforms to jumpstart the troubled German economy that the other two parties opposed, and had long flirted with bolting from the unhappy coalition.

He had repeatedly warned of “an autumn of decisions” as difficult budget talks have loomed.

Bild daily reported that he told the other parties that the talks of recent days had shown there was not enough common ground on economic and financial policy.

Lindner had argued that Donald Trump’s United States presidential election victory had made an economic turnaround even more urgent.

The newspaper added that Lindner had suggested that the parties opt for new elections in early 2025, but that Scholz had rejected the proposal.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner. Photo / AFP

If confirmed, this would suggest the Social Democrats and the Greens would seek to stay in power as a minority government until scheduled elections in September 2025.