German conservative lawmaker Jens Spahn has urged the government to pursue a united strategy with US president-elect Donald Trump to strengthen transatlantic trade and reduce economic reliance on China. In a Bloomberg TV interview, Spahn suggested that boosting trade ties could help mitigate risks associated with China. "You need to make deals, as Trump would call it," he added. Spahn, a key ally of CDU Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, is expected to secure a senior government role following the February snap elections, where the CDU and its Bavarian CSU partner hold a strong lead over the far-right AfD. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats trail in third. Highlighting Germany's economic struggles, Spahn noted, "We are the only industrial country in the world that has a shrinking economy." He emphasised the need to maintain the debt brake but proposed cuts to social spending to balance increased investments and defence outlays. Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel has warned that US tariffs could shrink Germany's output by 1 per cent, potentially affecting growth in 2025. Attribution: Bloomberg Subediting: M. S. Salama
