Europe watching Germany’s elections

Germany’s parliamentary elections draw European attention, as the country’s economy and stability play a key role on the continent. #Germany

Transcript

00:00Trent, Germany is Europe's biggest economy.

00:03Now, Europe appears to be in this really sticky spot

00:06at the moment when it comes to America's comments on Ukraine

00:10and also defence spending.

00:12How important is this election result

00:15for stability across Europe as a whole?

00:19Well, look, I think you can get a sense from it

00:21just based on how other European countries

00:24are looking at this election.

00:25There's a lot of media coverage of it

00:27in places like France and Belgium and Italy,

00:30because what happens in Germany

00:32really has a huge impact on the rest of the EU.

00:34As you said, it's the EU's biggest economy.

00:37It's the world's third largest economy

00:39after China and the United States.

00:40And so what happens on Sunday will have a ripple on effect,

00:44not just across Europe and around the world.

00:45And you are right.

00:46I mean, Europe right now is having some very deep

00:49conversations around its sort of role in the world.

00:52We've seen President Trump sort of roll back

00:54onto the world stage full of criticism of the EU

00:57over issues like trade imbalances

01:00and their support for Ukraine.

01:01And so right now, in many ways,

01:03I think the EU is looking for leadership

01:05to try and navigate these sort of turbulent,

01:08uncertain waters ahead that are here.

01:11And Germany really has to play a crucial role in that,

01:14which is why after this election takes place on Sunday,

01:17the Chancellor will have a lot of work to do.