BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives risk a bruising defeat in a May election in Germany’s most populous state because the man leading her campaign there, Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen, refuses to risk his cabinet post.

Conservative party leaders and coalition allies have publicly urged Roettgen to give up his cabinet job and commit himself to leading Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) even in opposition in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

BERLIN, Feb 29 (Reuters) – German Finance Minister
Wolfgang Schaeuble was criticised on Wednesday for playing
Sudoku on a small computer during a crucial parliamentary debate
on Greece, becoming a lightning rod for the growing opposition
in Germany to the latest bailout.

His spokesman defended Schaeuble against charges of
arrogance for playing the numbers puzzle while on the government
bench during the debate, saying he had worked tirelessly for 10
straight days on behalf of German interests.

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s parliament will almost certainly endorse a Greek bailout on Monday despite growing pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet domestic calls to stop throwing money down “this crazy path.”

The world’s 20 leading economies, the G20, piled pressure on Germany at the weekend to drop its opposition to a bigger European bailout fund, telling Europe it must put up extra money if it wanted more help from other countries.

BERLIN (Reuters) – The German parliament will almost certainly vote to endorse a new Greek bailout package on Monday, but Chancellor Angela Merkel may be forced to rely on opposition support to overcome a determined band of rebels in her coalition.

At least a dozen members of parliament in Merkel’s center-right coalition said they would vote against the 130 billion-euro ($175 billion) rescue package. If the number of rebels rises to at least 20, the measure will pass only with opposition support.

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germans overwhelmingly oppose further aid for Greece, according to opinion poll released on Sunday, one day ahead of a vote in parliament on a new Greek bailout package where Chancellor Angela Merkel may be forced to rely on opposition support.

The poll by the Emnid Institute in Bild am Sonntag newspaper found 62 percent oppose a new 130 billion ($175 billion) rescue package while 33 percent are in favor. A similar Emnid poll in September found 53 percent opposed and 43 percent in favor.

BERLIN (Reuters) – More than 160 German tax collectors have volunteered for possible assignments in Greece to help the struggling Mediterranean country gather tax more efficiently, the Finance Ministry in Berlin said on Saturday.

The offer risks fuelling resentment among Greeks who have already reacted angrily to earlier German calls for the appointment of a “budget commissioner” to monitor the Greek government’s management of its finances.

BERLIN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany plans to bring forward cuts in solar power subsidies of up to 30 percent by almost a month to March 9, spelling further trouble for companies selling solar panels in the world’s No.2 market.

Government sources had told Reuters on Wednesday the cuts of 20 to 30 percent would be moved forward to April 1, news that sent share prices tumbling. On Thursday Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen and Economy Minister Philipp said the cuts would be moved forward even more, to March 9, to thwart any last-minute boom in projects, a further blow to producers.

BERLIN/FRANKFURT, Feb 23 (Reuters) – Germany aims to
reduce solar power incentives by between 20 percent and 30
percent from March 9, rather than from April 1, which is what
had been expected, spelling further trouble for companies
selling panels in the world’s No.2 photovoltaic market.

Shares in European solar companies fell on the news, with
sector bellwethers SolarWorld (SWVG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), SMA Solar (S92G.DE: Quote, Profile, Research),
Q-Cells (QCEG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), Renewable Energy Corp (REC) (REC.OL: Quote, Profile, Research) and
Centrotherm (CTNG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) down by between 3.2 and 8.3 percent by
1248 GMT.

BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s humbling defeat in accepting an opposition candidate for president may herald a shift in coalition alliances that could yet see her conservatives unceremoniously bundled from power in 2013.

Merkel herself is riding high in opinion polls, the public generally satisfied with steady if unspectacular leadership during the euro zone debt crisis. Her center-right coalition will likely remain together until the 2013 election.

BERLIN (Reuters) – Angela Merkel’s conservatives accused their coalition partner on Monday of a “massive breach of trust” in backing opposition candidate Joachim Gauck for the German presidency, a move which forced the chancellor to support him despite deep reservations.

Germany’s Bild newspaper said Merkel’s centre-right government had even come close to collapsing during tense negotiations on Sunday evening between her and Free Democrat (FDP) leader Philipp Roesler over who should fill the largely ceremonial post.