Person

Lars Klingbeil

Federal Finance Minister, Federal Government

4 articles · 6 February 2025 to 9 March 2026

What we have reported

Accused fuel retailers of price gouging, called for a cartel office investigation, and pushed for stricter EU transparency rules on oil companies.
Said he would have wished for a different outcome but acknowledged the agreement prevents further escalation.
SPD co-leader appointed as finance minister and vice chancellor, tasked with managing the new €500bn special fund.

Coverage

4 of 4 in the archive

Politics

Baden-Württemberg election dead heat and Iran war fuel prices test Merz's Germany

Greens edge CDU by half a percentage point in the first of five 2026 state votes as diesel hits €2.20 a litre and the chancellor pins war responsibility solely on Tehran.

Marek Jankowski9 March 20269 min read

Business

EU-US tariff deal unravels as Brussels and Washington publish conflicting texts

The 15% blanket tariff takes effect while negotiators argue over pharmaceuticals, steel quotas, energy purchases and defence commitments that exist only in the White House version.

Peter van den Berg31 July 20257 min read

Politics

Merz sworn in as German chancellor with €500bn spending plan and Taurus missile pledge

Friedrich Merz takes office leading a CDU-SPD coalition that has already torn up the debt brake, promising a €500bn off-budget fund for infrastructure and defence while pledging to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

Sofia Marchetti6 May 20256 min read

Politics

Merz poised for chancellery but coalition arithmetic remains uncertain

Conservatives lead polls at 30 percent but AfD's 20 percent blocks simple majority, forcing CDU/CSU into complex negotiations with SPD or Greens as migration policy fractures traditional alliances.

Marek Jankowski6 February 20257 min read

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President of the European Commission
Friedrich Merz
Chancellor of Germany
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Emmanuel Macron
President of France
Christine Lagarde
President of the European Central Bank
Viktor Orbán
Prime Minister of Hungary
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Kaja Kallas
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Mark Rutte
Secretary General of NATO
Péter Magyar
Prime Minister of Hungary
Henna Virkkunen
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Keir Starmer
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

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What we have reported

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