Guardian Live Blog: Germany's Merz Faces Uncertainty as Macron Convenes Party Leaders on Ukraine and Middle East

The Guardian's Berlin correspondent, Deborah Cole, addressed reader questions on Wednesday about the political future of Germany and Chancellor Friedrich Merz as part of the newspaper's ongoing Europe live blog, according to the report.

The blog stated that Merz's hold on power has appeared increasingly shaky since what it described as a "shocking election" earlier this month, though no further details on the election results or the specific challenges facing Merz were provided in the excerpt.

Separately, the same live blog reported that French President Emmanuel Macron has convened the leaders of different political parties to discuss the crises in the Middle East and Ukraine, and their consequences for the energy market, according to a statement from his office.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 10:30am local time (9:30am UK time), the statement said. Military and intelligence officers are expected to brief attendees on information that has already been shared with Macron, according to the office's statement.

The Guardian's live coverage did not provide additional context on the specific nature of the briefing or the outcomes expected from the gathering of party chiefs.