(L-R) Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, new Finance Minister Joerg Kukies and the outgoing ministers of the Free Democrats FDP party Minister for Transport and Digital Affairs Volker Wissing, Finance Minister Christian Lindner, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann and Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger pose with their respective letter of appointment and the dismissal orders after a ceremony at the presidential Bellevue Palace in Berlin on November 7, 2024. The day before, the German Chancellor sacked Finance minister Christian Lindner, from the pro-business Free Democrats FDP, leading to the breakdown of his three-party coalition government. (Photo by RALF HIRSCHBERGER / AFP) (Photo by RALF HIRSCHBERGER/AFP via Getty Images)