Germany’s center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced he is firing Finance Minister Christian Lindner, which could undermine the ruling three-party coalition that relies on Lindner’s pro-business party.

Jörg Kukies was appointed as Germany's new finance minister on Thursday, as pressure mounts on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to call for a confidence vote and trigger snap elections after the dissolution of his ruling coalition.

Germany’s fragile government has collapsed after Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister on Wednesday evening. The Chancellor sacked Christian Lindner after days of crisis talks and amid a deluge of rumours that his turbulent coalition was about to come to an end.