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☆ Justin Trudeau is facing a political crisis made worse by Donald Trump. Can he survive as Canada’s leader?
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-17 | by ( Lex Harvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau soared to victory in 2015 on the promise of change and “sunny ways” for the country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland arrive for a meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, Ukraine on June 10, 2023. On Monday, Finance Minister Freeland quit her post hours before she was due to deliver an annual fiscal update. Trudeau has so far been adamant that he will stay on as prime minister and has yet to directly acknowledge Freeland’s exit. “The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Donald Trump’s, Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland –, –, Who, Pierre Trudeau, Trump, “ You’re, Justin, ”, David Coletto, Coletto, Chrystia Freeland, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Freeland, ” Freeland, “, Tari Ajadi, McGill University –, Donald Trump, Nicholas Kamm, Tyler Chamberlin, ” Coletto, ” Ajadi, Canada’s, Pierre Poilievre’s, Ajadi, Chamberlin, ” Trump, Trudeau’s, Pierre Organizations: CNN, Canadian, Canada, Liberal, Abacus Data, Trump, Finance, Presidential Press Service, Trump ., The Financial Times, Reuters, Globe and, US, McGill University, Canada's, NATO, Getty, University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, CBC News, Conservative Party Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Canada, Trump . Canada, “, United States, Mexico, Watford, England, State, Ottawa

☆ Canada finance minister quits after clash with Trudeau, deals blow to government
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speak at a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October 6, 2021. Patrick Doyle | ReutersCanada's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quit on Monday after clashing with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on issues including how to handle possible U.S. tariffs, dealing a huge blow to an already unpopular government. The resignation by Freeland, 56, who also served as deputy prime minister, is one of the biggest crises Trudeau has experienced since taking power in November 2015. FILE PHOTO: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland during news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 31, 2018. Freeland, a former journalist, served as trade minister and then foreign minister before taking over the finance portfolio in August 2020.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau, Patrick Doyle, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Trudeau's, Donald Trump, Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, we're, Nik Nanos, Chris Wattie, COVID, Anita Anand, Nelson Wiseman, Jagmeet Singh, propping, Canada's, Trump, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, North America Jesus Seade, Robert Lighthizer, Henry Romero Organizations: Finance, Canada's, Reuters Canada's Finance, Conservatives, Conservative, Liberal, Officials, Reuters, Treasury, University of Toronto, New, Canada, North America, U.S . Trade Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Mexico, United States, U.S, Mexico City

☆ Canada’s Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigns as unpopular Justin Trudeau faces biggest test of his political career
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Story Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

TORONTO AP —Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces the biggest test of his political career after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long one of his most powerful and loyal ministers, announced Monday that she was resigning from the Cabinet. But she said in her resignation letter to the prime minister that the only “honest and viable path” was to leave the Cabinet. “For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” Freeland said. But the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is now in big trouble. Carney has long been interested in entering politics and becoming the leader of the Liberal Party.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau, Freeland, “, ” Freeland, Donald Trump’s, ”, ‘ Trudeau, ’ Trudeau, don’t, Anita Anand, Pierre Poilievre, “ Justin Trudeau, ” Poilievre, Pierre Trudeau, Doug Ford, Mark Carney, Carney, Nelson Wiseman, “ Freeland, ” Wiseman, Daniel Béland, ” Béland, Jagmeet Singh, ” Singh Organizations: TORONTO AP, Canadian, US, Liberal Party, Opposition Conservative, Trump, New Democratic Party, Conservative Party, Bank of England, Bank of Canada, Trudeau’s, University of Toronto, Liberal, McGill University, NDP, Liberals Locations: Canada, Mexico, Ontario, Ottawa, Montreal

☆ Canada Prime Minister Trudeau visits Florida to meet with Trump amid tariff threat
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a press conference about the Royal Mounted Police's investigation into "violent criminal activity in Canada with connections to India", on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 14, 2024. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Donald Trump's Florida resort on Friday to meet with the U.S. president-elect, days after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on Canadian imports over border-related concerns. Trudeau, whose public itinerary did not list a scheduled visit to Florida, was seen leaving a hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida, to go to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, according to a Reuters witness. Trudeau this week pledged to stay united against Trump's tariff threat and called a meeting with the premiers of all 10 Canadian provinces to discuss U.S. relations. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc is traveling with Trudeau, CBC News reported.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Donald Trump's, Trump, Trudeau, Trump's, Dominic LeBlanc Organizations: Canada's, Royal Mounted, Canadian, U.S, Officials, Trump, Conservative, Canadian Public, CBC News, Reuters Locations: Canada, India, Ottawa , Ontario, Donald Trump's Florida, Florida, West Palm Beach , Florida, Lago, Mexico, China

☆ UK transport minister quits in new blow to PM Starmer
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Britain's transport minister Louise Haigh has resigned after pleading guilty years ago to an offence in connection with misleading police over a work mobile phone, in another blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer thanked Haigh for her work and for all she had done "to deliver this government's ambitious transport agenda". The opposition Conservative Party said Haigh had "done the right thing" but asked why Starmer had appointed her when he was apparently aware of her fraud conviction. "The onus is now on Keir Starmer to explain this obvious failure of judgment to the British public," a spokesperson for the Conservative Party said in a statement. Haigh's resignation is yet another blow to the Labour leader, who has seen his party's approval ratings plunge since July.

Persons: Louise Haigh, Keir Starmer, Haigh, Starmer, Jeremy Corbyn Organizations: Conservative Party, Labour Locations: Starmer's

☆ Australia nears social media ban for children under 16 after heated debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The planned law would force social media platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure age-verification protections are in place. The ban was first announced during an emotionally charged parliamentary inquiry into social media, which included testimony from parents of children who had self-harmed due to cyberbullying. “I understand that using social media a lot is not a good thing and I’m working on it,” said Sydney high school student Enie Lam, 16. Australian media, from the publicly owned Australian Broadcasting Corp. to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., also support the ban. Let’s try and reduce the incidents we’re hearing involved with social media and young people in Australia.”

Persons: Meta, Anthony Albanese’s, Albanese, “ Young, ”, Sen, Karen Grogan, ByteDance’s TikTok, Elon Musk’s X, Enie Lam, Rupert, “, Jenny Branch, Allen, Let’s Organizations: Australia —, Google, Facebook, Labor, Sydney, Senate, Greens, Human Rights Commission, Australian Broadcasting Corp, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, News Corp, country’s, Australian Parents Council Locations: SYDNEY, Australia, Australia — Australia

☆ Britain loves its 'special relationship' with the U.S. — but that doesn't mean Trump will love it back
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-07 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

London feels those long-standing bonds and geopolitical interests make its relationship with the U.S., well, special. Not so special anymoreDescribing the "special relationship" as one of convenience for the U.S., Pickering said the U.K. could still maneuver itself to be useful to an incoming Trump government. Whisper it, but the "special relationship" ceased to be special long ago, according to Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg. "That Trump and Starmer are apparently not fans of each other, to put it mildly, will not help in future U.S.-U.K. talks. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets U.S. President Donald Trump as he arrives for the Ceremonial Welcome at Buckingham Palace, in London, Britain June 3, 2019.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jeff J Mitchell, Keir Starmer, Trump, David Lammy, Starmer, Harris, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Badenoch, Lammy, Kallum Pickering, Peel Hunt, We're, we'll, Pickering, Holger Schmieding, Schmieding, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Victoria Jones Organizations: Getty, U.S, London, Britain's, Republican, Trump Tower, Trump, Atlantic, Labour Party, White, Reuters, Conservative Party, Republicans, Labour, European Union, China, Peel, CNBC, NATO Locations: London, New York, Washington, Europe, China, EU, U.S, America, Buckingham, Britain

☆ UK's Conservatives name Kemi Badenoch as new leader, shifting the party further to the right
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-02 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Conservative leadership contender Kemi Badenoch delivers a speech on the final day of Conservative party conference at Birmingham ICC Arena on October 2, 2024 in Birmingham, England. LONDON — The U.K.'s opposition Conservative Party on Saturday named right-wing Kemi Badenoch as its new leader, closing a long-drawn-out runoff after the Tories' landslide electoral defeat ushered in a moment of reckoning for the party. Badenoch ousted Robert Jenrick to secure the top job, replacing outgoing leader and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "It is the most enormous honor to be elected to this role," Badenoch said, giving her maiden speech as party leader shortly after the results were announced. The ultimate winner was decided by Conservative Party members, with Badenoch receiving 53,806 votes to Jenrick's 41,388.

Persons: Kemi Badenoch, Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Rishi Sunak, Tory, Jenrick, James, Keir Starmer's Organizations: Conservative, Birmingham ICC Arena, Conservative Party, Tories, Conservatives, Keir Starmer's Labour Locations: Birmingham, England, Badenoch

☆ UK businesses warn Labour government's tax-raising budget will hurt hiring and boost inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Rachel Reeves, UK chancellor of the exchequer, outside 11 Downing Street ahead of presenting her budget to parliament in London, UK, on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesLONDON — British businesses are smarting after Finance Minister Rachel Reeves' bumper tax-rising budget, with analysts warning that the measures could slow hiring and push up inflation. Under the new rules, employer NI will rise by 1.2 percentage points to 15% from April 2025, while the level at which employers start paying NI for workers will drop from £9,100 to £5,000. Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the Confederation of British Industry, a business interest group, described it as a "tough budget for business." That is because businesses could pass on the additional costs to consumers by increasing the price of their products.

Persons: Rachel Reeves, Reeves, —, Roger Barker, Barker, Mike Kemp, Andrew Martin, Newton, Smith, Morgan, Andrew Sheets, CNBC's, Morgan Stanley Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, LONDON, National Insurance, Labour, Conservative, Institute of, Institute of Directors, of British Industry, Corporation, Insurance, CNBC, Bank of, Morgan Locations: London, City of London, United Kingdom

☆ UK budget: Britain targets the wealthy as it hikes taxes by $52 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“Today, I am restoring stability to our public finances and rebuilding our public services,” Reeves said, arguing that the now-opposition Conservative Party had “failed” Britain, including by inadequately budgeting for required government spending. A black hole in the public finances. Public services on their knees. The government will instead introduce a new tax system for such individuals, raising £12.7 billion ($16.5 billion) over the next five years. The tax hike will eventually raise £25 billion ($33 billion) per year.

Persons: Rachel Reeves, ” Reeves, “, Reeves, Jeremy Hunt’s, Hunt Organizations: London CNN, Labour, Conservative Party, National Health Service, Labour Party, ’ National Insurance Locations: United Kingdom, “, Britain

☆ Britain cedes disputed islands to Mauritius, securing key U.S. military base
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden welcomed the deal, saying it would secure the effective operation of Diego Garcia, a strategically important air base in the Indian Ocean, into the next century. But critics in Britain said it was a capitulation that played into the hands of China, which has close trade ties with Mauritius. Britain, which has controlled the region since 1814, detached the Chagos Islands in 1965 from Mauritius — a former colony that became independent three years later — to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. The new agreement said Mauritius would be free to implement a program of resettlement on the islands other than Diego Garcia, with the terms left for Port Louis to decide. David Blagden, associate professor of international security and strategy at Britain’s University of Exeter, said the deal was a “big win” for Mauritius.

Persons: Diego Garcia, Joe Biden, David Lammy, “, ” Lammy, Biden, ”, Diego Garcia’s, Port Louis, Pravind Jugnauth, Olivier Bancoult, ” “, Keir Starmer, Tom Tugendhat, Britain’s, ” Robert Jenrick, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, David Blagden, ‘ Organizations: British, Mauritius —, United Nations General Assembly, Diego, Port, Refugees Group, Facebook, Labour Party won, Conservative Party, Conservative, State, Britain’s University of Exeter, Port Louis Locations: Mauritius, Britain, China, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, United States, Ocean, Seychelles, Mauritian, Beijing

☆ German voters fend off far-right in latest state vote, early results suggest
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

“Dietmar Woidke and his Brandenburg SPD have made a furious comeback in recent weeks,” said SPD General Secretary Kevin Kuehnert. “For us in the federal SPD, this evening, if things go well, the problems that lie ahead of us will not have gotten any bigger. SPD party members and supporters react during the publication of exit polls in Potsdam. Provisional official results suggested it had gained 5.7 percentage points since the last Brandenburg election in 2019. With the Greens failing to re-enter Brandenburg state parliament, Woidke’s SPD cannot continue its coalition with the CDU and Greens.

Persons: Olaf Scholz’s, Scholz, “, ” Scholz, Dietmar Woidke, “ Dietmar Woidke, ”, Kevin Kuehnert, Tobias Schwarz, Woidke, Tino Chrupalla, Sahra Wagenknecht Organizations: Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, SPD, State, Politico, United Nations, Brandenburg SPD, ARD, ZDF, Communist, Getty, Provisional, Greens, Free Democrats, CDU Locations: Brandenburg, Germany, Berlin, New York, Ukraine, Potsdam, Russia, Thuringia, Saxony, Europe

☆ Far-right group that invokes Nazi past on track for more state election success in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-22 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The AfD became the first far-right party to win a state election in Germany since World War II, in Thuringia, on Sept. 1 and just missed first place in Saxony. Hans-Christoph Berndt, the AfD candidate for Brandenburg state premier, cast his ballot on Sunday in the town of Golssen, south of Berlin, expressing optimism about his party’s prospects with increased support compared to 2019. Narrow the gapIn recent weeks, the SPD has managed to narrow the gap with the AfD, opinion polls have shown. AfD party leader Tino Chrupalla said Scholz should do the same. “It is high time this government suffer the consequences after this state election,” Chrupalla said.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s, Hans, Christoph Berndt, we've, ” Berndt, won’t, Scholz, Brandenburg’s, Dietmar Woidke, Woidke, pollster Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, ” Woidke, Tino Chrupalla, ” Chrupalla Organizations: Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, Communist, Brandenburg, Social Democrats, SPD, Sahra Wagenknecht, Scholz’s, Free Democrats, Greens Locations: German, Brandenburg, Germany, Thuringia, Saxony, Europe, Ukraine, Scholz’s, Golssen, Berlin, Potsdam

☆ Exit polls suggest reprieve for Germany’s Scholz, as his party looks set to fend off far right in state vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-22 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

BERLIN Reuters —German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) looked set to fend off the far right in a state election in Brandenburg on Sunday after trailing behind the Alternative for Germany (AfD) throughout the campaign, exit polls indicated. “Dietmar Woidke and his Brandenburg SPD have made a furious comeback in recent weeks,” said SPD party general secretary Kevin Kuehnert. “For us in the federal SPD, this evening, if things go well, the problems that lie ahead of us will not have gotten any bigger. The SPD is polling just 15% at national level, down from the 25.7% it scored in the 2021 federal election. Maryam Majd/Getty Images/FileNo time for complacencyThe vote in Brandenburg comes three weeks after the Russia-friendly AfD became the first far-right party to top a state election in Germany since World War Two, in Thuringia.

Persons: Olaf Scholz’s, Scholz, Dietmar Woidke, “ Dietmar Woidke, ”, Kevin Kuehnert, Olaf Scholz, Maryam Majd, Woidke, Tino Chrupalla, Sahra Wagenknecht Organizations: BERLIN Reuters —, Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, SPD, ZDF, Brandenburg SPD, ARD, Communist, Greens, Free Democrats Locations: Brandenburg, Germany, Berlin, Ukraine, Russia, Thuringia, Saxony, Europe

☆ Spanish parliament approves controversial amnesty law for Catalan separatists
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Al Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Spanish parliament has approved a controversial amnesty law Thursday that could benefit hundreds of people facing prosecution for their roles in the failed independence bid in Catalonia, in and around Barcelona, in 2017. The vote for the bill, introduced last year by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s ruling Socialist Party, was 177 to 172, the speaker of Spain’s lower house of parliament announced. Crucial support came from two Catalan separatist parties, Junts (Together) and Esquerra Republicana (Republican Left), each with seven seats in Spanish parliament. Spain’s main opposition conservative Popular Party and the far-right Vox party voted against the measure. Just before the vote, the Madrid regional government president Isabel Diaz Ayuso, of the Popular Party, vowed to appeal against the new law to Spain’s Constitutional Court, the highest in the land.

Persons: Pedro Sánchez’s, Esquerra Republicana, Isabel Diaz Ayuso Organizations: CNN, Socialist Party, Republican Left, Popular Party, Vox, Constitutional Locations: Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain’s, Madrid

☆ Pedro Sanchez: Spanish leader says he will ‘reflect’ on whether to remain prime minister, as court probes wife
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Al Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Madrid CNN —Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Wednesday that he was cancelling his public duties until next week to “reflect” on whether to continue leading the government, just hours after a Spanish court said it had opened a probe against his wife. In the surprise move, Sanchez said on X that he would announce his decision on whether to remain as prime minister next Monday, in an appearance before the news media. Sanchez said “I need to stop and reflect” about “if I should continue leading the government” or step down. Sanchez, head of Spain’s Socialist Party, leads a coalition government with a narrow parliamentary majority. And a poll predicts the Socialist Party will also fare better than conservatives and the far right in regional elections in Catalonia next month around Barcelona.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, Begoña Gomez, “, Manos, ” Sanchez, Begoña Gomez “, Javier Maroto, Spain’s Organizations: Madrid CNN, Spanish, Wednesday, Madrid, Superior Court, Justice, Spain’s Socialist Party, Popular Party, Socialist Party, Vox Locations: Madrid, Basque, Catalonia, Barcelona

☆ Siemens CEO Hits Out Against Extremism in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Siemens Chief Executive Roland Busch on Thursday criticised the rise of extremism in Germany, the latest business leader to voice concerns about sharpening political divisions in the country. "I'd like to state loud and clear: extremism of any kind hurts this country," Busch said in a speech to shareholders at Siemens's annual general meeting in Munich. "And this naturally includes all those who come to Germany and want to contribute themselves and their skills." Siemens Energy supervisory board chairman Joe Kaeser last month warned of a resurgence of right-wing extremism in Germany, saying a policy of mass deportation was "absolutely disgusting". Siemens currently employs around 88,000 people in Germany, its second biggest market after the United States, and is investing $1 billion in a new high tech production and research centre in Erlangen, near Nuremberg.

Persons: Roland Busch, Busch, Joe Kaeser, Peter Boehringer, John Revill, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, Siemens, Siemens Energy Locations: Germany, Munich, United States, Erlangen, Nuremberg

He said that the international students program has been exploited by institutions offering “sham” degrees, putting pressure on housing and health care. The total number of foreign students is more than three times what it was a decade ago. The immigration minister said that there are unscrupulous schools that accept high tuition fees from foreign students without offering a solid education in return. In some cases, the schools are a way into Canada for students who can parlay their visas into permanent residencies. Admitting fewer foreign students during the next two years can’t solve the crisis on its own,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

Persons: Marc Miller, “, ” Miller, Justin Trudeau’s, Miller, doesn’t, Pierre Poilievre, Trudeau, ”, Daniel Béland, It’s Organizations: TORONTO, —, Monday, Immigration, Conservative Party of Canada, McGill University Locations: — Canada, Montreal, Canada, Quebec

☆ Tractors Converge on Berlin for Farmers' Protest
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - Farmers and their tractors rumbled towards Berlin from every corner of Germany on Sunday ahead of a giant protest demanding a rethink of plans to tax farmers more. But farmers, with the vocal backing of the opposition conservatives and the far-right, say this does not go far enough. "Farmers will die out," said farmer Karl-Wilhelm Kempner on Sunday as he boarded a bus in Cologne heading for the demonstration. Finance Minister Christian Lindner will address the protest and coalition party leaders have invited leaders of the demonstrations for talks. Disruption caused by protests and train strikes last week hurt coalition parties in the polls and propelled the far-right Alternative for Germany party to new heights.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Karl, Wilhelm Kempner, Christian Lindner, Scholz, We've, Thomas Escritt, Ros Russell Organizations: BERLIN, Farmers, Finance Locations: Berlin, Germany, Berlin's, Cologne

A constitutional court ruling on Nov. 15 against a budget manoeuvre to get around Germany's "debt brake" threw the financial plans of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition into disarray. "As I have long been saying, we must fear that the debt brake becomes ever more a brake on the future," said Berlin mayor Kai Wegner on social media platform X. "The debt brake was implemented when Europe had a debt sustainability issue and Germany wanted to lead by example," he said. "With the debt brake as it is, we have voluntarily tied our hands behind our backs and are going into a boxing match," he said. The Greens' campaign programme ahead of the last election included debt brake reform to allow for greater investments.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck, Christian Lindner, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Reiner Haseloff, Haseloff, Kai Wegner, Friedrich Merz, Carsten Brzeski, Roderich Kiesewetter, Stefan Marschall, Andreas Rinke, Sarah Marsh, Matthias Williams, Holger Hansen, Nick Macfie Organizations: Climate, Finance, BERLIN, U.S, Intel, Reuters, AAA, Christian Democratic Union, CDU, Christian Social Union, CSU, Berlin, Free Democrats, Social Democrats, Greens, ING, SPD, University of Duesseldorf, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Europe's, Ukraine, Saxony, Anhalt, United States, Bavarian, Federal, Germany, Europe, France, Italy, Spain, China

☆ Analysis-Scholz's Coalition Buckles but Unlikely to Break - for Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

The decision has increased tensions within Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition, in particular between junior partners the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP). But Scholz is unlikely to call for new elections as they would not benefit any of the coalition partners. "Scholz definitely wants to keep the government together and believes this will work as none of the three coalition partners stand to benefit from a break," a source close to the chancellor said. "In reality, the chancellor should dismiss his coalition partners now." "And the strength of the AfD is also the reason why no actors - not even the conservatives - currently have any interest in new elections."

Persons: Sarah Marsh, Holger Hansen, Andreas Rinke BERLIN, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Philipp Tuermer, Scholz, Stefan Marschall, Ursula Muench, Frank Decker, Friedrich Merz, Markus Soeder, Decker, Andreas Rinke, Alexander Ratz, Catherine Evans Organizations: Greens, Free Democrats, Scholz's Social Democrats, Tagesspiegel, Bertelsmann Foundation, SPD, University of Duesseldorf, University of Tutzing, Bonn University, Eurasia Group Locations: Ukraine, Germany, Bavarian

☆ Biggest protest in Spain against Catalan amnesty law draws 170,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Raul Cadenas Susana Vera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The amnesty will cover about 400 people involved in the independence bid that came to a head in 2017, including separatists but also police involved in clashes with activists. The independence referendum was declared illegal by the courts and resulted in Spain's worst political crisis for decades. The amnesty will be the largest in Spain since the 1977 blanket amnesty for crimes committed during the Francisco Franco dictatorship, and the first amnesty law approved in the European Union since 1991, according to Spain's CSIC research council. Protesters, including neo-Nazi groups, have held rowdy demonstrations outside the Socialist headquarters in Madrid for 15 nights consecutively since the deal was announced. In a survey by Metroscopia in mid-September, around 70% of respondents - 59% of them Socialist supporters – said they were against the idea of an amnesty.

Persons: Catalonia's, Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Santiago Abascal, Francisco Franco, Metroscopia, –, Graham Keeley, Susana Vera, Raul Cadenas, Silvio Castellanos, Clelia Oziel, Mike Harrison Organizations: Spain's Socialists, Spain's Socialist, Authorities, People's Party, Vox, European Union, Socialist, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, MADRID, Catalan, Basque, Catalonia

Experts say Trudeau's carbon pricing scheme, known as the carbon tax, works well and cannot be easily replaced. Even the left-leaning New Democrats, who support Trudeau's government in parliament and have previously defended the carbon tax, are calling for the exemption. Analysts said the carbon tax carve-out is another example of inconsistent policy. CARBON TAX REBATEThe carbon tax is intended to discourage use of fossil fuels and accelerate a switch to clean energy, but the recent carve-out underlines how fragile climate policy is in the face of pressing political calculations. In September, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said the carbon tax contributes about 0.15 percentage points to the inflation rate, which was 3.8% that month.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Jessica Lee, Richard Brooks, Brooke, Brooks, Chris Severson, Baker, Pierre Poilievre, clobber Trudeau, Shachi Kurl, Angus Reid, Kurl, Jonathan Wilkinson, Wilkinson, Macklem, Trudeau, Robert Asselin, Asselin, Nia Williams, Steve Scherer, Josie Kao Organizations: Canada's, Ontario Chamber, Economic Summit, REUTERS, Rights Ottawa, Canadian, Provincial, New Democrats, Pembina Institute, Liberal, Conservative, Angus Reid Institute, Atlantic, Natural Resources, Reuters, Bank of Canada, Business Council of Canada, The Business Council, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Ottawa

☆ Canada says Alberta leaving CPP would add to economic uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - If the Canadian province of Alberta carries out a threat to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) it would add to economic uncertainty and hurt everyone in the country, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday. The so-called Alberta Pension Protection Act would require Albertans to vote in favor of a pension plan for the province during a public referendum before the provincial government would seek to withdraw assets, said the statement. But when asked whether she found it realistic that Alberta was entitled to 53% of CPP assets in 2027, according to a study commissioned by the Alberta government, Freeland said she did not. Freeland also cautioned that the Alberta government would need to negotiate how Canadians could live and work anywhere in Canada without jeopardizing their retirement. "Alberta would need to negotiate complex time-consuming portability agreements with the CPP and with the Quebec pension plan," she said.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Susana Vera, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Danielle Smith's, Smith, Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Maiya Keidan, David Ljunggren, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Finance, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canada, federal, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canadian, Alberta, Canada, Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ Canada warns of economic uncertainty if Alberta quits national pension plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Canada will face rising economic uncertainty if the province of Alberta carries out a threat to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday. Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner later on Friday said the province would not leave fellow Canadians without a stable pension and its associated benefits. "For the past several weeks, Alberta has been having an open discussion about the possibility of establishing an Alberta Pension Plan that will benefit our seniors and workers," he said. The so-called Alberta Pension Protection Act would require Albertans to vote in favor of a pension plan for the province during a public referendum before the provincial government would seek to withdraw assets, the statement said. "Alberta would need to negotiate complex time-consuming portability agreements with the CPP and with the Quebec Pension Plan," she said.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Susana Vera, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Nate Horner, Justin Trudeau's, Danielle Smith's, Smith, Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Maiya Keidan, David Ljunggren, Kirsten Donovan, Paul Simao Organizations: Finance, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canada, federal, Alberta, Liberal, Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa

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