The German Free Democratic Party (FDP) leader Christian Lindner has been demanding a change of policy towards the Eurozone to enter the government.
In an interview with Handelsblatt on Friday, Linder made clear that joining the government as a junior coalition partner will require a change of policy regarding the Eurozone. The FDP leader called for a state insolvency law that will allow states to default, leave the Eurozone, whilst remaining in the European Union. He also criticized the outgoing Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble for giving in the third bailout programme for Greece.
Such a concession would allow the Christian Democrats (CDU) to hold on to the Ministry of Finance, which may make the proposal appealing.
On the campaign trail, the FDP had made it clear they would be unwilling to join a coalition without the ministry of finance portfolio. During the campaign trail, Lindner was also opposed to the idea of a common Eurozone budget, minister, and parliament, as proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron. "It is nonsensical to debate portfolios if we do not have clarity on policy,” he told Handelsblatt.
Domestically, the FDP prioritizes the reduction of income tax rates for the middle class, increasing investment on digital infrastructure, and putting a cap on the number of refugees that can enter Germany.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/fdp-wants-cut-off-greece-eurozone/
