If the Greens want to stay in power, they need Friedrich Merz. Olaf Scholz receives a visit from the Baltics. And there is a threat of shutdown in the USA. This is the situation on Friday morning.

Visit from the Baltic States

In all probability, nothing will come up this afternoon. Olaf Scholz will then receive the new Prime Minister of Estonia, Kristen Michal, in the Chancellery. The liberal Michal is the successor to Kaja Kallas, who has just become the EU’s foreign policy chief.

News: Black-Green, Kristen Michal with Olaf Scholz, government shutdown in the USA

Is America shutting down?

Eleven years ago in October, I was hoping to benefit from a US budget freeze in Washington DC. For two weeks, the Republicans, who were in opposition at the time, had already held the country hostage with a so-called government shutdown : no more money for federal agencies, hundreds of thousands of civil servants on compulsory leave, museums closed, national parks shut.

News: Black-Green, Kristen Michal with Olaf Scholz, government shutdown in the USA

News: Black-Green, Kristen Michal with Olaf Scholz, government shutdown in the USA