The German government's collapse, which came just hours after US President Donald Trump was elected for a second time, has sent shockwaves throughout Europe. But what does it mean for the rest of the EU?
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00:00Calls are mounting for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to hold his vote of confidence as early
00:05as next week that would pave the way for snap German elections.
00:10The coalition broke down just hours after US President Donald Trump was elected.
00:15EU policy expert Dr. Thu Nguyen says the break-up was bound to happen.
00:20Domestically the break-up of the coalition was inevitable.
00:24So already days before the signs were there and the differences and conflicts between
00:29the three coalition partners were just too big to overcome.
00:33Internationally and from a European perspective the timing is very unfortunate.
00:38As you said just hours before the election of Trump as US President meaning at a time
00:43where European leadership but also leadership in the European Union is needed more than
00:48ever and the collapse of the German government of course leaves a very big gap.
00:53What could the repercussions be for the European Union and what can we expect to happen next
00:58for Europe's strongest economy?
01:00In a positive scenario we will now have new elections in Germany next spring and after
01:08that hopefully a stable government again that is willing to take leadership in Europe.
01:14So that is the hopeful scenario that this lack of leadership coming from Germany is
01:20only a temporary one that will be filled up again by summer next year and that it will
01:28not come to a falling apart of the European Union but of course there is still a need
01:33now to ensure that there is a common European response to the elections in the US.
01:42Is there a danger for the European Union and how could this affect member states?
01:47I think one worry that I have is that the election of President Trump will give backwind
01:54to leaders like Viktor Orban and Giorgio Meloni and push a vision of the European Union that
02:01is maybe more pro-Russian or less green or even harder on migration because they feel
02:12empowered by the results of the US elections and at the same time there is no counter force
02:19in the European Council and amongst the other member states that can counter their vision
02:28at this moment in time.
02:29Liv Stroud in Berlin for Euronews.