Olaf Scholz, Germany's least popular chancellor on record, is facing growing calls within his Social Democrats (SPD) to step aside and let his Defence Minister Boris Pistorius instead lead the centre-left party into next year's federal election.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz launched his election bid with a stinging attack on Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling the Social Democrat a “lightweight” and accusing him of sowing division in Europe’s biggest economy.

Germany's embattled Chancellor Olaf Scholz, mired in a government crisis, traded blows with his rivals Wednesday in combative parliament speeches as all sides ready for elections in February.Scholz told parliament that spending on security or support for Ukraine are crucial but must not lead to cuts in pensions,