Who will lead Germany through its biggest political crisis in years?

CGTN Europe

CDU’s Friedrich Merz is ahead, but Olaf Scholz isn’t out yet. With the far-right gaining ground and no clear majority, the outcome could shake up Europe.   Here’s what’s at stake. ⬇️   #GermanyVotes

Transcript

00:00Germany is heading to an early election, the government collapsed after months of

00:04deadlock and now voters will decide who takes charge and how to tackle mounting

00:09economic and political challenges. The front-runner is Friedrich Merz from the

00:13centre-right CDU. A former asset manager he's pushing for tax cuts, stricter

00:19immigration laws and stronger military aid to Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is

00:24running again despite record low approval ratings. His SPD is promising

00:29higher wages, tax cuts for low earners and a 100 billion euros infrastructure

00:33plan. The Greens want a billionaire tax to fund the energy transition while the

00:38pro-business FDP is focused on keeping Germany's strict debt limits. Meanwhile

00:42the far-right AFD, classified as an extremist organization by Germany's

00:47domestic intelligence agency, is polling just behind the CDU, closer to power than

00:53ever. But with no clear majority in sight governance could prove extremely

00:58difficult. Germany is Europe's largest economy but growth has stalled amid

01:03high energy costs and weak exports. With global trade tensions heightening will

01:09the next government loosen spending limits or double down on austerity? This

01:14election will have consequences across Europe. Germany is the EU's economic

01:19engine and its biggest budget contributor. The next government will

01:24influence EU strategy on everything from military support for Ukraine to

01:28handling a potential trade war with the US. With Europe already facing sluggish

01:33growth and geopolitical instability much depends on Germany's choice.

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