Tuesday Briefing: Germany’s government collapses

Plus, the year's breakout stars

View in browser|nytimes.com December 17, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering Germany's political turmoil and an address from Syria's new leader. Plus: The year's breakout stars. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition splintered last month. John Macdougall/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Germany's government was dissolved The German government collapsed as Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in Parliament, deepening a crisis of leadership across Europe at a time of mounting economic and security challenges, including the war in Ukraine. The vote to dissolve the government, which passed 394 to 207, with 116 abstentions, leaves Europe's largest economy in the hands of a caretaker government ahead of elections early next year. Scholz had little choice but to call for the confidence vote after his three-party coalition splintered last month, leaving him without a parliamentary majority to pass laws or a budget. Elections are now expected to be held on Feb. 23, in what would be only the fourth snap vote in modern German history. Looking ahead: Seven parties will enter the campaign for Parliament with a realistic chance of gaining seats. The conservative Christian Democratic Union is poised to win the most, but some parties on the political fringes — especially on the right — are likely to have strong showings, according to polls. Here's what else to know. A rebel fighter inspected graffiti written by a prisoner of the Assad government in a Damascus cell. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Syria's new leader called for sanctions to be lifted Ahmed al-Shara, the leader of the rebel coalition now ruling Syria, called on states like the U.S. to stop treating his organization as a terrorist group and to lift sanctions imposed on Syria so it can rebuild. Here's the latest. In a public statement, al-Shara called for ending the sanctions that had been placed on the now-ousted Assad regime; cautiously criticized Israel's incursions into Syrian territory; and said the top priority of his organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was to create a state and public institutions that serve all Syrians. "Syria is tired of wars, and we want to build a state and institutions away from conflicts," he said. Given the conditions in Syria after 13 years of civil war, it is not logistically ready to hold elections, he added. Bashar al-Assad: In a statement posted on social media, the ousted president said he had wanted to stay in Damascus and fight, but that Russia had evacuated him after rebel forces infiltrated the capital. Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has not commented on the changes in Syria, and he made it clear yesterday that winning in Ukraine was his main concern. Related: The mother of Austin Tice, a missing American journalist, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause Israel's strikes in the part of Syria where she thinks her son may be a prisoner. The U.S. said it conducted airstrikes yesterday targeting Islamic State forces in central Syria, killing 12 people. President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke for more than an hour at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort. Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times Trump's first post-election news conference In his first news conference since the election, President-elect Donald Trump cited debunked data linking vaccines and autism, vowed to slash taxes and resume construction of his border wall and accused the Biden administration of hiding the truth about recent drone sightings. Trump also announced a $100 billion investment from SoftBank, a Japanese technology company, in U.S. projects. Separately, a judge rejected Trump's argument that a Supreme Court ruling had nullified his criminal case in New York, upholding his felony conviction for falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal. If Trump's appeal fails, he will be the first felon to serve as president. Quotable: "The first term, everybody was fighting me," the president-elect said. "In this term, everybody wants to be my friend." Context: As he returns to power, Trump remains one of the most divisive figures in American political life. He has pledged to shatter norms, impose tariffs, bring legal charges against journalists and slash government spending. In other U.S. political news: Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick to lead the Defense Department, said he would release a woman who has accused him of sexual assault from a confidentiality clause in their financial settlement. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for health secretary, will meet with Republicans on Capitol Hill, where he is likely to be questioned about his longtime anti-vaccine advocacy. Some Democrats fear that Republicans could call for a history-making constitutional convention. MORE TOP NEWS Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times U.S.: A 15-year-old girl opened fire at a Christian school in Madison, Wis., killing at least two people and injuring six. She died, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the police said. Myanmar: Nearly four years into a grinding civil war, Myanmar's economy is in ruins, forcing some women out of professional roles and into sex work. Mayotte: Officials on the island, off the eastern coast of Africa, said the number of people killed by Tropical Cyclone Chido could be much higher than the 14 confirmed so far. Canada: Chrystia Freeland, the deputy prime minister, resigned abruptly, in a stinging rebuke to the prime minister, Justin Trudeau. Britain: The defense team for Lucy Letby, a British nurse found guilty of murdering babies in her care, is seeking an appeal after an expert changed his mind about the case. Litigation: Carlos Watson, a co-founder of the now-defunct company Ozy Media, was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for trying to defraud investors and lenders. Bangladesh: The ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, orchestrated a program of mass disappearances, a preliminary government report found. Georgia: Twelve people were found dead of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a ski area in the Caucasus Mountains, the authorities said. TikTok: The company, which is controlled by a Chinese firm, asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block a law that would effectively ban its app in the U.S. in a matter of weeks. New Jersey: Officials have received more than 5,000 tips about drone sightings. They insist there's nothing unusual going on. SPORTS NEWS Guinea stadium disaster: Two weeks after a tragedy that killed at least 56 people and perhaps many more, those affected spoke to The Athletic. Basketball: LeBron James said he felt "pretty good" after his nine-day, two-game absence from the Los Angeles Lakers. Soccer: The Austrian player Guido Burgstaller suffered a fractured skull after he was attacked in Vienna. Tennis: Joao Lucas Reis da Silva, the first male professional player to come out publicly, wants to be remembered for his game as much as his advocacy. MORNING READ Thea Traff for The New York Times The actor and ballet luminary Mikhail Baryshnikov left the Soviet Union 50 years ago. Ever since, he has used his fame to bring attention to difficult, esoteric art. "I fall in love with artists," he said. "Sometimes I don't even know it. I feel deep sympathy. It's like how the French say une amitié amoureuse — it's a loving friendship." Read our profile. Lives lived: Zakir Hussain, the Indian percussionist and composer whose work forged global musical hybrids, died. He was 73. CONVERSATION STARTERS Nice spread: This high-octane Christmas menu will have everyone talking. A modern prince: Guillaume Diop has reached the highest level in the Paris Opera Ballet and become a symbol of a more diverse France. Deadly lure: For more than a century, subway surfing has attracted thrill seekers. Social media has compounded the problem. Tell us about your holiday traditions With the holidays on the horizon, we're asking readers: What's the tradition you're most looking forward to this year? Perhaps it's something your family or friends have been doing for decades, or a more recent tradition you can't wait to repeat. Tell us about it by filling out this form. We may feature your response in an upcoming newsletter. ARTS AND IDEAS Chona Kasinger; Sara Krulwich; Yael Malka; Kristina Dittmar; Rebecca Smeyne; Caroline Tompkins; Tom Jamieson; for The New York Times The breakout stars of 2024 They were audacious and original. They pushed boundaries and made bold choices. The 10 artists we've named as this year's breakout stars shook up their scenes — and resonated with fans. Our list includes Chappell Roan, who has become a pop phenomenon (or "Femininomenon"); Richard Gadd for his award-winning Netflix show "Baby Reindeer"; and Mikey Madison, who appeared in the movie "Anora." Read more. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Kate Sears for The New York Times. Bake: This crème brûlée is family size and fun. Celebrate: Delight the dads in your life with these gifts. Dress: Our fashion critic explored whether it's ever OK to go barefoot in public. Listen: Read our reviews of the latest holiday albums. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018