INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
to a collapsed coalition that unraveled in November 2024
Scholz sacks FDP Finance Minister Christian Lindner, triggering a no-confidence vote he loses on January 15, 2025
Economic stagnation, migration fears, and Ukraine aid debates fuel the campaign fire.The CDU/CSU, led by Friedrich Merz, capitalizes on
discontent, promising tax cuts and business relief
Meanwhile, the AfD rides anti-immigrant sentiment, doubling its 2021 haul, though mainstream parties shun it
overnight, with provisional results due by February 24 morning
The new Bundestag meets by March 25, but forming a government could drag into spring
Economic recovery, migration policy, and European leadership hinge on what comes next
