Germany's policies towards India will not change, says envoy Walter J Linder

After Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) narrowly won the federal elections, German Ambassador to India Walter J Linder said on September 27 that there will be no change in the nation's policy towards India. While the coalition government is yet to take over the European nation, Linder said in an interview with ANI that he does not expect much change in Germany’s policy towards India because it has its own value in the politics of Europe. 

"Whoever be the chancellor in Germany will have close relations with India. India is so important because its 1.4 billion people India is in the region, which is not an easy area. We have excellent bilateral relations, then we have a new strategy for the Indo-Pacific. There are so many bilateral aspects from 2,000 companies in the country to 25,000 students in Germany to trade exchange there is so much so for every politician for every member of parliament for that matter it will be an important region."

"1.4 billion people on this planet, every fifth person is Indian, whatever has to be done on global aspects, be it fight against terrorism, global warming, population, climate change...there can't be a solution without India...," ambassador Lindner added.

Next German govt to be formed by Dec 25

German Ambassador to India, Walter J Lindner on September 27 said that the next government in the European nation is expected to be formed by Christmas as the left-leaning Social Democrats (SPD) party won in the German federal election with over 25% votes. In the same interview, Linder said, “As an optimist, I think we will have the next government in Germany by Christmas, negotiations among parties are going on."

His remarks on Monday came after the Federal Returning Officer stated that with all 299 German electoral districts reporting, the SDP won 25.7% of the vote defeating the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) which is the centre-right, conservative party of Chancellor Angela Merkel with 24.1% votes. However, the results still reflect uncertainty over the next Chancellor of Germany and Merkel’s successor. 

As per ANI, the coalitions in Germany will either see the SPD or CDU/CSU forming a government with the Green party that also bagged 14.8% of the votes and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) with 11.5% votes. SPD leader Olaf Scholz said that the German voters wished for him to be the next Chancellor after Merkel.

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