German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) hands the certificate of appointment as new Finance Minister Joerg Kukies, 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)

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius looks at his watch as he waits for the swearing-in of the new Finance Minister at the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, 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 John MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Latvian EU commissioner-designate for economy and productivity, implementation and simplification Valdis Dombrovskis speaks during his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament on November 7, 2024 in Brussels. (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)

The leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz arrives at the presidential Bellevue Palace in Berlin for talk with the German presidnt 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 Odd ANDERSEN / AFP) (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

The leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz arrives at the presidential Bellevue Palace in Berlin for talk with the German presidnt 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 Odd ANDERSEN / AFP) (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Latvian EU commissioner-designate for economy and productivity, implementation and simplification Valdis Dombrovskis attends his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on November 7, 2024. (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) hands the certificate of appointment as new Finance Minister Joerg Kukies, 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)

Former German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (L) and former German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) look on after being given their dismissal orders by the German President at the presidential Bellevue Palace in Berlin on November 7, 2024. The day before, the German Chancellor sacked the Finance minister, 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)