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world news Diamars 28 september 2021

Uncertain start to post-Merkel era after close German vote

(AP) — The party that litical crises and ensuring her of this country have given:
narrowly beat outgoing country maintained a high These three parties should
German Chancellor An- profile on the international lead the next government.”
gela Merkel’s bloc pushed stage. It remains to be seen
Monday for a quick agree- whether the next chancellor Laschet said his party also
ment on a coalition gov- will match her global stand- wants to lead a coalition with
ernment, but Europe’s ing. the two smaller parties. The
biggest economy could only other option that would
still be in for weeks of un- The unclear result, combined have a parliamentary major-
certainty after an election with an upcoming French ity is a repeat of the outgo-
that failed to set a clear di- presidential election in April, ing “grand coalition” of the
rection. creates uncertainty — at least Union and Social Democrats.
for now — in the two eco- That is the combination that
Olaf Scholz, the candidate of nomic and political powers at has run Germany for 12 years
the center-left Social Demo- the center of the EU, just as of Merkel’s 16-year tenure
crats, called for Merkel’s the bloc struggles with how but has often been marred by “The trans-Atlantic partner- Laschet also faces calls from
center-right Union bloc to to counter Russia and China, squabbling, and there is little ship is of (the) essence for within his own party to re-
go into opposition after its revamp its relationship with appetite for it now. us in Germany ... and so you sign after a disastrous elec-
worst-ever result in a nation- the United States and ad- can rely on continuity in this tion night that saw the Union
al election. Both parties fin- dress questions about its fu- Scholz and others were question.” bloc lose dozens of parlia-
ished with well under 30% of ture from populist leaders in keen to dispel concerns that mentary seats — including
the vote, and that appeared to eastern countries. lengthy haggling and a new, Scholz made clear that the the constituency Merkel had
put the keys to power in the multiparty government rival Union bloc should bow held since 1990.
hands of two opposition par- Scholz, the current finance would mean unstable lead- out of government. He said
ties — raising questions over minister and vice chancellor, ership in Europe’s biggest the bloc “received the mes- The Greens made significant
the stability of a future gov- pulled his party out of a long economy. sage from citizens that they gains in the election to finish
ernment. poll slump to win on Sun- should no longer be in gov- third but fell far short of their
day. Laschet, the governor “My idea is that we will be ernment, but go into opposi- original aim of taking the
Armin Laschet, the Union’s of North Rhine-Westphalia very fast in getting a result tion.” chancellery, while the Free
candidate, rejected the idea state, stumbled in a campaign for this government, and it Democrats improved slightly
that the election gave any that was strewn with mis- should be before Christmas But Laschet held out the pos- on a good result from 2017.
party a clear mandate and steps. if possible,” Scholz told re- sibility that he might form
made clear he still hopes to porters in Berlin. “Germany a coalition despite what he Merkel’s outgoing govern-
lead a new government. But But the kingmakers are likely always has coalition govern- called “painful losses,” for ment will remain in office
he sounded considerably less to be the two prospective ju- ments, and it was always sta- which he said he bears a “per- until a successor is sworn in,
confident Monday than he nior partners in any coalition, ble.” sonal share” of the blame. a process that can take weeks
did a day earlier, when he the environmentalist Greens or even months. Merkel an-
said his bloc would do “ev- and the business-friendly Scholz, an experienced and Other senior center-right fig- nounced in 2018 that she
erything we can” to form one Free Democrats. The Greens pragmatic politician whose ures were more skeptical. wouldn’t seek a fifth term.
— and some allies hinted at traditionally lean toward the calm, no-frills style is in
skepticism that would hap- Social Democrats and the some ways reminiscent of Markus Soeder, the more The Free Democrats and
pen. Free Democrats toward the Merkel’s, pointed to continu- popular rival Laschet beat to Greens indicated they plan to
Union, but neither ruled out ity in foreign policy. He said secure the Union’s nomina- speak to each other first be-
Whoever becomes chancel- going the other way. a priority will be “to form a tion to run for chancellor, fore entertaining approach-
lor will lead Germany into a stronger and more sovereign said a second-place party has es from the bigger parties.
new era. During Merkel’s 16 “Voters have spoken very European Union.” “no entitlement” to form a The Free Democrats’ leader,
years in office, she was seen clearly,” Scholz said Monday. government, “so we can only Christian Lindner, said he
abroad not just as Germany’s “They strengthened three “But doing so means also to make an offer.” He said there wants to discuss with the
leader but in many ways as parties — the Social Demo- work very hard on the good can’t be an alliance with the Greens whether they could
Europe’s, helping steer the crats, the Greens and the Free relationship between ... the Greens and Free Democrats “become the progressive cen-
European Union through Democrats — so this is the European Union and the “at any price.” ter of a new coalition, for all
a series of financial and po- visible mandate the citizens United States,” he added. our differences.”

Egg thrown at French President Macron during food trade fair

(AP) — French President Em- during a visit to an international A video of the incident, widely shared services.
manuel Macron was hit on the food trade fair in the French city on the social media, shows Macron
shoulder Monday by an egg of Lyon. walking through the crowd when In June, Macron was slapped in the
thrown at him by a young man an egg bounces off of him without face by a man as he was greeting
breaking. Two bodyguards can be the public in a small town in south-
seen immediately getting closer to the eastern France. He then denounced
president and a man was taken away “violence” and “stupidity.” The slap
from the scene by other bodyguards. prompted a wide show of support for
France’s head of state from politicians
Reporters heard Macron saying “If he across the ideological spectrum.
has something to tell me, then he can
come.” Macron, like his predecessors, enjoys
spending time meeting with the pub-
Lyon prosecutors said the 19-year- lic. Called “crowd baths” in French,
old student who threw the egg was they have long been a staple of French
immediately detained by police. politics.
Their statement said an investigation
was opened for “assault on a person A little over six months before
in a position of public authority” and France’s next presidential election,
it will seek to determine the motiva- Macron, 43, has not yet announced
tions of the man, who was not previ- his reelection bid but is expected to
ously known to the police or justice do so.