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☆ In Germany, Far-Right Party Rises to 2nd Place in E.U. Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Sarah Maslin Nir | Christopher F. Schuetze | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The right-wing Alternative for Germany party won a record number of votes in European Union elections on Sunday, in a sharp rebuke to Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s governing three-party coalition in Germany and a sign of the rightward political shift across the continent. The party, known as AfD, captured 16 percent of the vote, placing second behind Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats, which won 30 percent. It was AfD’s strongest showing in a nationwide election, and it came as Mr. Scholz’s coalition has reached record-low levels of popularity in the country, according to polls. A spokesman for Mr. Scholz has ruled out early elections. Describing her party’s showing a “major success,” Ms. Weidel said at a news conference in Berlin that the government was working against, not for, Germany.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s, Scholz’s, Alice Weidel, Mr, Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, ” Ms, Weidel, ” Organizations: Germany, Christian Democrats, “ Locations: Germany, France, Berlin

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Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi’s Organizations: N.D.A, INDIA Modi’s, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, Party Coalition Locations: India, N.D.A

☆ India markets face an 'inevitable' correction if Modi's election win disappoints, Bernstein says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A worker fixes flags of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party displayed on a hoarding prior in Raipur on April 15, 2024 ahead of the country's upcoming general elections. India's stock markets started the year in record-high territory, much of it supported by pre-election optimism — but as the country kicked off its weeks-long election, Bernstein warned that a market correction could be in place. Market players have been pricing in a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi, who has been prime minister since 2014, is seen as a market-friendly candidate. Nearly one billion eligible voters will decide who fills the 543 contested seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.

Persons: Bernstein, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Venugopal Garre, Nikhil Arela Organizations: Bharatiya Janata Party Locations: Raipur, India, Lok Sabha

☆ Germany joins legal cannabis club
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Industrial hemp plants of the Futura 75 variety are kept in a specially secured room at the Hemp Museum. The law passed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling three-party coalition legalises cultivating up to three plants for private consumption and owning up to 25 grams of cannabis. Larger-scale, but still non-commercial, cannabis production will be allowed for members of so-called cannabis clubs with no more than 500 members, all of whom must be adults. Germany becomes the ninth country to legalise recreational use of the drug, which is also legal in some sub-national jurisdictions in the United States and Australia. Some legislators questioned whether the new regulations would have much impact on dealing, since those who are unwilling to grow their own cannabis or join a cannabis club may still prefer to buy the drug.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Karl Lauterbach, Tino Sorge, Lauterbach Organizations: Futura, Hemp Museum, Germany, Friday, Bundestag Locations: Germany, United States, Australia

BERLIN (AP) — German lawmakers on Friday approved cuts to fuel subsidies for farmers that prompted angry protests, along with a 2024 budget the government had to revamp after a court ruling blew a hole in its financial plans. Parliament's lower house voted in favor of the overhauled 476.8 billion ($516 billion) budget for Europe's biggest economy and legislation including measures to fill the gap, among them the subsidy cuts. The immediate result of the ruling was a 17 billion-euro hole in the 2024 budget. Coalition leaders said the government would abolish a car tax exemption for farming vehicles and tax breaks on diesel used in agriculture. Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesThe legislation also provides for the tax on plane tickets to be increased.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Organizations: BERLIN, Ukraine, Coalition

☆ Biden has a bridge to reelection – but has to rebuild it first
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

A decision by such voters that they cannot morally support Biden over this single issue could have a significant impact. “We should … not forget how President Biden beat Trump in 2020. Accepting what liberals see as draconian Trump-style restrictions on asylum would be viewed as a betrayal by many in Biden’s coalition. A CNN survey in November, for example, showed Biden led Trump among Black voters 73% to 23%. Latino voters favored Biden over Trump by only four points in the poll compared to 33 points in the 2020 election.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, —, Trump, Biden, Biden’s, Covid, Quentin Fulks, “, ” Fulks, Donald Trump, MAGA, Israel epitomizes, didn’t, Pramila Jayapal, ” Jayapal, CNN’s Manu Raju, Trump’s, Nikki Haley’s, Lyndon Johnson, ”, Hank Naughton, Naughton, –, ” Naughton, Trump won’t, Kamala Harris, Harris, “ Joe Biden, Shawn Fain, Chuck Morse, officeholder, ” Morse, ” Dominick Lombardi, Lombardi Organizations: CNN, White, Republican, Democratic, Local, Republicans, White House, Trump, GOP, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Biden, Black, Electoral College, South Carolina Gov, America, United Auto Workers, Pew Research Center, Pacific Islander, “, Orange Republican Party Locations: Gaza, New Hampshire, Israel, Trump, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Washington, New Haven County , Connecticut

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The recently installed chair of Michigan's Republican Party and others in the state GOP are suing to get the group's former leader, Kristina Karamo, officially declared as being removed from the post. A group of Michigan Republican state committee members voted Jan. 6 to remove Karamo, an election denier and supporter of former President Donald Trump. About 45 people, not including proxies, attended the meeting in Commerce Township where Karamo was voted out as chair. Karamo’s refusal to allow the committee and the Michigan Republican Party to move forward, particularly with an election cycle rapidly approaching, requires swift judicial intervention,” according to the lawsuit. Karamo, a former community college instructor, rose through Michigan’s Republican ranks by spreading election conspiracies after the 2020 presidential election.

Persons: Kristina Karamo, Malinda, Ali Hossein, Hassan Nehme, Donald Trump ., Karamo, Bree Moeggenberg, Pego, Ms, Karamo’s, Donald Trump Organizations: Republican Party, GOP, Michigan GOP, Court, Michigan Republican, Associated Press, Michigan Republican Party, Michigan Republicans, Senate, Republican Locations: LANSING, Mich, Malinda Pego, Michigan, Kent County, Grand Rapids, Commerce Township, Karamo, U.S, Georgia, Arizona

☆ Germany to Override Debt Limit, Again, to Resolve Budget Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Melissa Eddy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged lawmakers on Tuesday to override Germany’s borrowing limits for a fourth consecutive year, allowing his government to take on billions of euros in fresh debt to modernize his country’s economy despite a budget crisis triggered a constitutional court ruling. “It would be a grave, unforgivable mistake to neglect the modernization of our country in the face of all these acute challenges,” Mr. Scholz told Parliament, citing persistently high energy prices and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Afterward, a powerful leader of the opposition Christian Democrats signaled he may be wiling to accept Mr. Scholz’s plan, a sign that the fiscal crisis that has gripped Germany for two weeks and threatened to fracture the government’s three-party coalition may begin to ease. Germany’s highest court on Nov. 15 threw out a special fund set up by the government that shifted credits approved in 2020 to combat the coronavirus pandemic to instead finance environmental projects and green technology. The court ruled that credits taken out in a given year for a specific purpose had to be spent within that time, and for the designated purpose.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, ” Mr, Scholz, Scholz’s Organizations: Democrats Locations: Ukraine, Germany

Europe's largest economy shrank 0.1% in the July-to-September quarter as inflation eroded people's willingness to spend, Germany's statistics office confirmed Friday. The downbeat figures come as the country's budget crisis raises the possibility of deep spending cuts next year. A court ruled last week that previous spending violated constitutional limits on deficits, forcing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government to put off a final vote on next year's spending plan. The court said the move violated rules in the constitution that limit new borrowing to 0.35% of annual economic output. He termed the uptick in the Ifo survey of business managers as “a bottoming out” rather than a rebound.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, quarrelsome, Christian Lindner, ”, Carsten Brzeski, Brzeski Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Finance, ING Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany, Russia, Ukraine

New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters arrives at a news conference after he attended an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey, March 22, 2019. The role of deputy prime minister, a key sticking point in the discussions, will be split between the populist NZ First party leader Winston Peters and ACT party leader David Seymour, the group announced in a statement. National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis will be finance minister and Peters will be foreign minister, the parties said. The coalition plans to repeal a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration and a ban on the sale of cigarettes to future generations introduced by the previous Labour government, according to coalition documents. "Foreign affairs does matter to this country.... all relationships do matter to this country," Peters said in a joint news conference in the capital Wellington after the announcement.

Persons: Winston Peters, Murad Sezer, David Seymour, Nicola Willis, Peters, Christopher Luxon, Luxon, ” Luxon, Jacinda, Helen Clark, Lucy Craymer, Praveen Menon, Diane Craft Organizations: Zealand's, of Islamic Cooperation, REUTERS, ACT NZ, National Party, NZ First, ACT, Party, Reserve, New Zealand, Bank of New, Labour, “, New Zealanders, Police, Thomson Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, WELLINGTON, Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, Niue

☆ Germany Announces Special Budget to Avert Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Melissa Eddy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

How We Got Here: A court ruling put spending plans into disarray. The move came after days of uncertainty triggered by the ruling from the country’s highest court that declared elements of the 2023 budget invalid because of a rule that limits borrowing. Mr. Lindner, who leads the fiscally conservative Free Democrats party, has vowed to abide by the borrowing limits for the 2023 budget. “No new debt will be taken on, but the funds already used to overcome the crisis will be placed on a secure legal basis,” Mr. Lindner said in a statement on Thursday. Economists and business leaders, as well as some lawmakers from Mr. Scholz’s three-party coalition, demanded Mr. Lindner take action to clarify spending plans for 2023 to ensure stability and clear the way for lawmakers to approve a budget for 2024.

Persons: Lindner, Mr, Olaf Scholz, Scholz’s Organizations: Free Democrats Locations: Ukraine

From construction to health care and the high-tech experts needed for the EU green transition, the local talent pool in the bloc of 450 million people has increasingly proved insufficient. And instead of forcing talent from across the globe to seek entry into the lucrative EU labor market via the illegal and dangerous migration route where the EU is increasingly restrictive, Wednesday's plans call for a safe and legal way. “This package is also a strong, if not strongest, disincentive to irregular migration,” said EU Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas. The plans will now be assessed by the 27 member states and the EU's parliament before they can be turned into reality. Economically too, the urgency is there, and EU businesses realize they are facing competitors across the globe.

Persons: ”, Margaritis Schinas, ” Schinas, Chancellor OIaf Scholz’s, Schinas Organizations: European Union, EU Locations: BRUSSELS, EU, Netherlands, Europe, United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Germany

It won five cabinet positions in the three-party coalition, including the powerful economy and foreign ministries. And a host of missteps that some even within the party concede has stalled the Greens’ momentum. Today the Greens are widely viewed as a drag on the government of the Social Democratic chancellor, Olaf Scholz, which one poll gave a mere 19 percent approval rating. The Greens have drawn withering attacks from even their own coalition partners. To their opponents, the Greens have overreached on their agenda and become the face of an out-of-touch environmental elitism that has alienated many voters, sending droves to the far right.

Persons: Olaf Scholz Organizations: Germany’s Green Party, Greens, Social Democratic Locations: Ukraine

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany needs to start deporting “on a large scale” migrants who don't have the right to stay in the country, adding to increasingly tough talk on migration since his coalition performed badly in two state elections earlier this month. Mainstream conservatives won both votes and the far-right Alternative for Germany made significant gains. Last week, Scholz announced legislation to ease deportations of unsuccessful asylum-seekers. On Monday, the government notified the European Commission of temporary border controls at the Polish, Czech and Swiss frontiers. He argued that there needs to be a “fundamental turnaround in migration policy.”Asked what the chancellor thought of that idea, Scholz spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit replied: “Nothing.”

Persons: —, Olaf Scholz, Der Spiegel, Scholz, Friedrich Merz, ”, Markus Soeder, Steffen Hebestreit Organizations: BERLIN, Der, European Commission, environmentalist Greens, Free Democrats —, Union bloc Locations: Germany, Czech, Swiss, Bavarian

☆ Ireland to lay out sovereign wealth fund plans in expansionary budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Padraic Halpin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The costs that we are providing for are going to come at us really quickly. A package of one-off financial supports totalling another 2.4 billion euros will be added on top of that, a source familiar with the process told Reuters. A similarly expansive budget a year ago that included even more generous one-off measures handed little political momentum to the three-party coalition. The left-wing opposition Sinn Fein remains well ahead in polls, with elections due by early 2025. ($1 = 0.9478 euros)Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Michael McGrath, McGrath, Sinn Fein, Padraic Halpin, Toby Chopra Organizations: DUBLIN, Finance, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ireland, Europe, Dublin

☆ Two German state elections expected to bring wins for conservative national opposition
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Both states are led by the country's main opposition Union bloc, made up of the Christian Democratic Union and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union. In Hesse, they give the CDU a double-digit lead in a three-way contest for the governor's office among the conservative party, Scholz's center-left Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens. Scholz's government also faces intense pressure to reduce the number of migrants arriving, a major issue in the run-up to the elections. Green challenger Tarek Al-Wazir, currently the deputy governor to conservative incumbent Boris Rhein, also faces an uphill struggle. In Bavaria, governor Markus Soeder is calling for voters to back "continuity and stability."

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, —, Karl, Rudolf Korte, Nancy Faeser, Tarek Al, Wazir, Boris Rhein, Markus Soeder, Soeder, Hubert Aiwanger, Aiwanger — Organizations: Sunday, Union, Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, CSU, CDU, Social Democrats, environmentalist Greens, Germany, Greens, Free, Welt, Sonntag, Voters, Free Democrats, Free Voters Locations: Bavaria, Hesse, Frankfurt, Scholz's

Both states are led by the country's main opposition Union bloc, made up of the Christian Democratic Union and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union. In Hesse, they give the CDU a double-digit lead in a three-way contest for the governor's office among the conservative party, Scholz's center-left Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens. Scholz’s government also faces intense pressure to reduce the number of migrants arriving, a major issue in the run-up to the elections. Green challenger Tarek Al-Wazir, currently the deputy governor to conservative incumbent Boris Rhein, also faces an uphill struggle. Soeder is widely considered a potential candidate to challenge Scholz in 2025, although he has denied such ambitions.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, won’t, —, Karl, Rudolf Korte, Nancy Faeser, Tarek Al, Wazir, Boris Rhein, Markus Soeder, Soeder, Hubert Aiwanger, Aiwanger — Organizations: BERLIN, Sunday, Union, Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, CSU, CDU, Social Democrats, environmentalist Greens, Germany, Greens, Free, Welt, Sonntag, ” Voters, Free Democrats, Free Voters Locations: Bavaria, Hesse, Frankfurt, Scholz's

☆ Australia Voice referendum: Far from uniting the nation, the vote has revealed its priorities and prejudices
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

There would be a referendum within his first term to recognize Indigenous Australians in the constitution and create a permanent body – a Voice to Parliament – to allow them to speak directly to government. Yes voters are much younger, live in the inner-city and voted for the Labor Party or Greens. Paul Smith, Director Government and Social Australia, at YouGov says the young-old divide in this referendum indicates a generational difference in world view. Daniel Morrison-Bird has been door-knocking for months in Perth, Western Australia to convince people to vote Yes. Gerber said far from dividing the country, the Voice is an invitation from Indigenous Australians to form a closer relationship.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, –, ” Albanese, “, ”, Paul Strangio, Bianca De Marchi, Strangio, they’re pigeonholed, ’ ”, Paul Smith, Smith, Axel Bruns, Bruns, Asanka Ratnayake, D’sa, D’Sa, Daniel Morrison, Bird, they’ve, Morrison, “ You’ll, I’ve, He’s, “ I’ve, it’s, Paula Gerber, ” “, Gerber, “ We’ve Organizations: Australia CNN —, Australian, Monash University, Qantas, Liberal, National Party coalition, Labor Party, Greens, Government, Social Australia, Torres Strait Islanders, Digital Media Research, Queensland University of Technology, Sky News, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, Voice Advisory Group, Corporation, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Locations: Brisbane, Australia, United States, Britain, Sydney, Corporates, YouGov, Melbourne, United Kingdom, Portuguese, Australian, Perth, Western Australia

☆ British lawmakers call for pause in live facial recognition surveillance
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters TV via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - A cross-party coalition of 65 British lawmakers called on Friday for a pause in use of live facial recognition surveillance on the country's streets. British police have previously deployed live facial recognition at a number of large-scale public events, including the recent coronation of King Charles II. In a joint statement published on Friday, lawmakers from across the political spectrum said: "We call on UK police and private companies to immediately stop using live facial recognition for public surveillance." Signatories included veteran Conservative MP David Davis, Labour politicians Diane Abbott and John McDonnell, and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey. "There must be an urgent stop to live facial recognition, parliamentary scrutiny, and a much wider democratic debate before we introduce such privacy-altering technology to British life."

Persons: King Charles II, Chris Philp, David Davis, Diane Abbott, John McDonnell, Ed Davey, Silkie Carlo, Martin Coulter, Alex Richardson Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Amnesty International, European Union . British, Conservative, Labour, Liberal, Big Brother Watch, Runnymede Trust, Big Brother, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Runnymede

☆ New Zealand National Party prepared to join forces with NZ First to get into power
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party, speaks at the New Zealand National Party’s election campaign launch in Auckland, New Zealand, September 3, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand's National Party leader said on Monday he is prepared to work with the populist New Zealand First if there are numbers needed to form a majority after the election. The centre-right National Party is currently leading the polls but is unlikely to be able to govern without the support of at least one smaller party. However, he added he would be prepared to form a coalition with New Zealand First if that would get his party into power. Leader of New Zealand First Winston Peters is a one-time National Party member and his party has previously been a coalition partner in both Labour and National-led governments.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Winston Peters, Lucy Craymer, Chizu Organizations: National Party, New Zealand National, REUTERS, Rights, New Zealand, Party, ACT, National, New, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Zealand

☆ Thai lawmakers plan fresh push to tighten use of cannabis
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Cannabis buds are seen inside an indoor farm at the Amber Farm, in Bangkok, Thailand, January 30, 2023. "Cannabis will be - double underline - for medical purposes and research," said Saritpong Kiewkong of the Bhumjaithai party, which spearheaded the decriminalisation and is now the second largest component of Thailand's 11-party coalition government. "There is no policy for recreational use," the lawmaker told reporters in parliament, adding that such measures were not yet being considered. It covers permits for growing plants, sales and distribution, and tighter measures against sales in temples, schools and amusement parks. Last week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he supported only medical, and not recreational, use of cannabis.

Persons: Athit, Srettha Thavisin, Chayut Setboonsarng, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Southeast Asia, Phuket, misbehaviour

☆ Thai PM: 'I don't agree with recreational use' of cannabis
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Tourists shop cannabis at a cannabis store, at Khaosan Road, one of the favourite tourist spots in Bangkok, Thailand, January 6, 2023. "Cannabis policy will be medical cannabis. On recreational use, I do not agree with that," he said in an interview with Thai news website, The Standard. Srettha's Pheu Thai party leads an 11-party coalition government, which came into power in August. "Drug abuse is a big problem for the country that's been under-addressed ... cannabis has to be used medically," Srettha said.

Persons: Athit, Srettha Thavisin, Srettha, Chayut Setboonsarng, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thai, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Southeast Asia's, New York

☆ Majority of Germans unhappy with Scholz amid fight over spending -survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany August 16, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Aug 18 (Reuters) - A majority of Germans are dissatisfied with the leadership of Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the first time since he took office in 2021, a survey showed on Friday, capping off a week of tension within his three-party coalition over spending. Fifty-one percent of respondents to a survey conducted on behalf of public broadcaster ZDF said they were not happy with the chancellor's work. Despite the survey's findings, Scholz remains the second most popular politician in Germany behind defence minister Boris Pistorius, who has been in pole position for months. Writing by Friederike Heine, Editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Annegret, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Scholz's, Scholz, Boris Pistorius, Friederike Heine, Rachel More Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ZDF, SPD, Greens, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany

☆ Germany Takes Step Toward Legalizing Marijuana
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Catie Edmondson | More About Catie Edmondson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The German government approved a plan on Wednesday to legalize some recreational marijuana use, paving the way to allow adults to legally buy and possess small amounts of cannabis. The legislation, which would allow adults to purchase and possess up to 25 grams of recreational cannabis for personal consumption through nonprofit social clubs, must still be approved by Parliament. But the endorsement from the three-party coalition’s cabinet was a crucial step toward Germany becoming the first major European country to legalize marijuana. The measure is weaker than what Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government had originally proposed. The socially liberal coalition announced its intent to legalize recreational marijuana when it came into power in 2021, quickly finding consensus on an issue opposed for years by the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Persons: ”, Karl Lauterbach, Olaf Scholz’s, Chancellor Angela Merkel Locations: Germany

☆ Austrian leader backs far-right idea of enshrining cash in constitution
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer delivers his speech during a session of the Parliament in Vienna, Austria, May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File PhotoVIENNA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Austria's conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants the right to use cash enshrined in the constitution, he told Austrian media in remarks published on Friday, an idea the far-right Freedom Party has been pushing for years. Most opinion polls show the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPO) in first place with a clear lead over the opposition Social Democrats and Nehammer's conservatives, who are in a two-party coalition with the left-wing Greens. "The issue of cash is very important to people," Nehammer told Austrian media, including news agency APA. "It is important to me that cash be written into the constitution," APA quoted him as saying.

Persons: Karl Nehammer, Leonhard Foeger, Nehammer, Magnus Brunner, Herbert Kickl, Francois Murphy, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Austrian, Party, Social Democrats, Greens, APA, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria

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