Scholz Faces Multiple Hurdles to Forge Working German Government
The Social Democrats are seeking to secure a ruling alliance with two disparate partners.
The Bundestag parliament building in Berlin, Germany.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Olaf Scholz will take a step toward succeeding Angela Merkel as German chancellor when his Social Democratic party starts exploratory coalition talks with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats on Thursday.
After winning a narrow election victory over Merkel’s conservatives, Scholz needs the other two parties to secure a majority in the German parliament. It would be an unprecedented combination, and the three groups will need to overcome contrasting positions in key areas like climate and finance. Haggling could last for months.