Doing nothing not an option, German liberals tell coalition allies

FILE PHOTO: German Economic Minister Robert Habeck hosts the 2nd European summit for bidirectional charging in Berlin, Germany, October 23, 2024. REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) -German Finance Minister Christian Lindner asked his partners on Tuesday to make their own proposals on economic policy after the budgetary package his party floated last week brought Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition to the brink of collapse.

The loveless alliance was thrown into disarray when Lindner's neo-liberal Free Democrats, the smallest coalition party, surprised left-wing partners with proposals to revive the economy with public spending cuts, lower taxes and less regulation.