it became official it took months of painful negotiations to get to this point then with one stroke of the pen this week chancellor merkel fired the starting gun for the new coalition to start work on its long political to do list first there s europe. french president manuel mccaughan wants to work with germany on ambitious e.u. reforms but there may be trouble ahead while germany agrees in principle to his plans for a new e.u. finance minister merkel conservatives are strongly opposed to the eurozone having its aim budget. and if that doesn t keep the german government busy enough in europe there s always breaks it time s running out for a deal with the u.k. due to leave the bloc in just a that a year s time. next up u.s. german relations u.s. president donald trump has unnerved germany by raising the prospect of a trade with europe his threatened tariffs on steel and aluminum could hit the