On 6 May, Friedrich Merz was formally elected Chancellor by the German Bundestag. Merz and his government will take office at a critical moment for Germany and for Europe.

Our experts consider the implications for business of the choices confronting Friedrich Merz’s first cabinet. The challenges that Merz and his top team face are marked by economic difficulties, geopolitical uncertainties, declining competitiveness, and an urgent need for investment to drive growth.

Rebuilding Germany’s leadership in Europe, notably by improving ties with France and with the UK, will also be a key objective of the new government to respond collectively to the Trump challenge as well as the Russia threat.

In this podcast, Flint Director Anna Abela hosts a discussion on the new German government with:

• Andreas Krautscheid, Senior Adviser, a former CDU Member of the Bundestag and Minister of State in North-Rhine Westphalia, and CEO of the German Banking Association.
• Markus Becker-Melching, Senior Adviser, former COO of the German Banking Association and member of the Executive Committee of the European Banking Federation.
• François-Joseph Schichan, Director, former French diplomat including former head of Political Department at the French Embassy in London.

On Wednesday, 2 April, President Trump announced a baseline tariff of 10% on all US imports with specific tariffs for individual markets. Some of the highest rates were imposed on Asian jurisdictions. Countries across APAC have responded in a variety of ways: China has imposed retaliatory tariffs, Vietnam has offered to remove all tariffs, and a number of others, such as Japan, India and South Korea, are looking to start discussions with the US.

This podcast discusses the latest tariff developments, the response from Asian jurisdictions, the implications for businesses and what comes next.

Flint Partner Katie Whitting hosts the discussion with:

• Flint Partner and Head of Flint’s Trade and Market Access Practice, Sam Lowe
• Flint Senior Adviser and former Executive Director of the Singapore-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), James Crabtree
• Guest Speaker and former Economic Director at the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office, Shahril Hamdan

On Wednesday, 26 March, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered her Spring Statement. What she originally hoped would be a low-key statement has taken on much greater significance as downgrades to economic forecasts test the Government’s ‘non-negotiable’ fiscal rules.

In this podcast, our experts discuss the decisions the Chancellor has made and consider the implications these choices will have for businesses – covering its impacts on the Government’s growth and public service ambitions, and what it could mean for the forthcoming Industrial Strategy and Spending Review.

Flint Partner Jon Sell will host a discussion on the economic and political implications of the Spring Statement between:

• Flint Special Partner and former Permanent Secretary, Dame Sue Owen
• Flint Specialist Partner and former senior executive at the UK’s Office for Budget Responsibility, Andy King
• Flint Specialist Partner and former adviser to the Chancellor, Ian Corfield