German coalition talks heat up as Greens, Liberals wrangle over finance minister job

FILE PHOTO: Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) arrives for talks to form a so-called traffic light government coalition, in Berlin, Germany, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's three-way coalition talks are heating up as the two smaller parties, the pro-spending Greens and the more fiscally conservative Free Democrats (FDP), are both wrangling over who should take the powerful finance minister job.

With the European Union discussing whether the fight against climate change requires reform of the bloc's joint fiscal rules - suspended until 2023 due to the pandemic - much is at stake in the duel being fought in secretive negotiations in Berlin.