How the German government's collapse impacts the EU

euronews (in English)

The German government's collapse, which came just hours after US President Donald Trump was elected for a second time, has sent shockwaves throughout Europe. But what does it mean for the rest of the EU?

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00:00Calls are mounting for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to hold his vote of confidence as early

00:05as next week that would pave the way for snap German elections.

00:10The coalition broke down just hours after US President Donald Trump was elected.

00:15EU policy expert Dr. Thu Nguyen says the break-up was bound to happen.

00:20Domestically the break-up of the coalition was inevitable.

00:24So already days before the signs were there and the differences and conflicts between

00:29the three coalition partners were just too big to overcome.

00:33Internationally and from a European perspective the timing is very unfortunate.

00:38As you said just hours before the election of Trump as US President meaning at a time

00:43where European leadership but also leadership in the European Union is needed more than

00:48ever and the collapse of the German government of course leaves a very big gap.

00:53What could the repercussions be for the European Union and what can we expect to happen next

00:58for Europe's strongest economy?

01:00In a positive scenario we will now have new elections in Germany next spring and after

01:08that hopefully a stable government again that is willing to take leadership in Europe.

01:14So that is the hopeful scenario that this lack of leadership coming from Germany is

01:20only a temporary one that will be filled up again by summer next year and that it will

01:28not come to a falling apart of the European Union but of course there is still a need

01:33now to ensure that there is a common European response to the elections in the US.

01:42Is there a danger for the European Union and how could this affect member states?

01:47I think one worry that I have is that the election of President Trump will give backwind

01:54to leaders like Viktor Orban and Giorgio Meloni and push a vision of the European Union that

02:01is maybe more pro-Russian or less green or even harder on migration because they feel

02:12empowered by the results of the US elections and at the same time there is no counter force

02:19in the European Council and amongst the other member states that can counter their vision

02:28at this moment in time.

02:29Liv Stroud in Berlin for Euronews.

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