- Title: Germany's Merkel hold her last Cabinet meeting
- Date: 24th November 2021
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - NOVEMBER 24, 2005) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ARRIVAL MERKEL, GREETING THEN ECONOMY MINISTER MICHAEL GLOS, THEN FINANCE MINISTER PEER STEINBRUECK AND THEN INTERIOR MINISTER WOLFGANG SCHAEUBLE PHOTOGRAPHER THEN VICE CHANCELLOR AND LABOUR MINISTER FRANZ MUENTEFERING GREETS MERKEL WIDE CABINET MEETING MERKEL AN
- Embargoed: 8th December 2021 10:50
- Keywords: Merkel last cabinet meeting
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002F4YHM4N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
Presiding over what could be her final cabinet meeting, Merkel bade her colleagues farewell, and Schulz presented the EU's longest-serving leader with a tree to plant in her garden, according to a person at the meeting.
As finance minister and vice chancellor in the outgoing "grand coalition" of the SPD and conservatives, Scholz, 63, was seen as a competent rather than a charismatic politician who, like Merkel, has moderate views and is adept at dialogue.
The main obstacle in talks were divisions on how to finance the transition towards a green economy and how quickly to move, according to party sources.
Such frictions could persist as it is widely expected that FDP leader Christian Linder, 42, will take over at the finance ministry and Greens co-leader Robert Habeck, 52, will take on a newly expanded economy and climate change ministry.
The FDP is also expected to put a brake on any formal move towards fiscal union in Europe favoured by the SPD and the Greens.
Merkel did not seek re-election after four terms as chancellor. Her personal popularity ratings remain high, but her
party is in disarray and facing a leadership contest after achieving its worst results in a federal vote following a gaffe-prone campaign by its candidate for chancellor.
(Production: Bettina Borgfeld, Ute Swart) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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