Part 2/9:
For the past three years, Germany's government coalition, a combination of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Green Party, and the Free Democrats (FDP), was referred to as the "Ampel" or "Traffic Light Coalition," named after the parties' representative colors. Despite their collaborative intent, the coalition faced significant public disagreements and ongoing dysfunction, culminating in Chancellor Olaf Scholz terminating Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the FDP over budget disputes. The FDP's subsequent departure from the coalition left the SPD and Green parties without a parliamentary majority.