Merkel partners could boost Brexit

SENIOR figures in a party set to join Angela Merkel’s next coalition government have warned against using Brexit to punish the UK, it emerged last night.

The pro-free-trade FDP is likely to prop up Ms Merkel after voters deserted her party in droves to back the far right.

Earlier this year, FDP leader Christian Lindner argued that Germany had ‘an interest in a strong and economically prosperous Great Britain’, adding that a weakened UK would leave Europe worse off.

The party is keen to defend German companies that export to the UK and its economic chief has warned against the consequences of a ‘crash Brexit’ if there is no trade deal in place.

Michael Theurer said: ‘Small enterprises are very concerned. There are also a lot of German companies that rely on financing from the City of London and they are very happy with the service they get now.’

Last night, Henry Newman, director of the Open Europe think-tank, said he did not think the result would have a big impact on Brexit talks.

But he said the role of the FDP could be a ‘good thing’ for Britain because the party would push hard to strike a trade deal. The FDP is also sceptical about closer EU integration.

It rejects a shared eurozone budget and suggested that member states such as Greece could leave the euro, instead of being bailed out.

Mr Newman said the role of the FDP meant it would be ‘very hard’ for Ms Merkel to push through the closer integration that was proposed by French president Emmanuel Macron.

British Tory MP John Redwood said Ms Merkel faced having to do the ‘three-way splits’ if she had to go into coalition with the FDP and the Greens. ‘I think she will have to be stricter on migration and money on the rest of the EU,’ he said.

Downing Street said British Prime Minister Theresa May called Ms Merkel last night to congratulate her on the result of the election.