Germany's Election: How the Parties Plan to Reshape Finance

Germany elects a new parliament on February 23, with potential ramifications for the financial industry of Europe's largest economy.

Germany will elect a new parliament on Feb. 23, with potential ramifications for the financial industry of Europe's largest economy.

Here is an outline of how those parties faring best in the polls are planning to shape finance, based on hundreds of pages of platform documents.

Spoiler alert: The far-right Alternative for Germany wants to exit the euro and deregulate Bitcoin, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats want to tax the super rich.

CDU/CSU

Chancellor candidate: Friedrich Merz

The conservative alliance of Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) are leading in the polls and, where finance is concerned, lay out only broad-brush ideas with few specifics.

AfD

Chancellor candidate: Alice Weidel

The far-right Alternative for Germany party is running second in the polls, but the nation's mainstream parties refuse to work with them in any government, meaning the proposals may never see daylight. Their plans for finance are nevertheless the most concrete, and radical.

SPD

Chancellor candidate: Olaf Scholz

The centre-left Social Democrats under Chancellor Scholz is trailing third in the polls but has for decades participated in coalition governments.

GREENS

Chancellor candidate: Robert Habeck

The business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) under party leader Christian Lindner, are trailing so far behind that they may not be represented in the next parliament. They stand for lower taxes and less red tape.

(Reporting by Tom Sims. Editing by Gerry Doyle)