A vote for ‘stability’: World reacts to Germany election outcome
European allies welcome performance of pro-EU parties as Russia eyes ‘continuity’ in relations with Berlin.
European powers have welcomed the outcome of Germany’s national election, with France praising the vote as a victory for “stability” and Spain’s Socialist prime minister predicting closer ties following the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) party’s triumph.
The SPD narrowly led Sunday’s vote, scooping 25.7 percent of the vote, according to provisional results released on Monday.
Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre-right CDU-CSU conservative bloc came a close second, but registered their worst-ever performance.
The SPD chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz, said the party will hold coalition talks with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP). The negotiations could take months to conclude.
Scholz, who was finance minister in Merkel’s outgoing “grand coalition” administration, also gave a first indication of his foreign policy ideas.
The 63-year-old told reporters that a government he led would offer the United States continuity in transatlantic relations. He also linked a fuel supply crisis in the United Kingdom to Brexit, signalling solidarity with the bloc.
No comments:
Post a Comment