German Chancellor Olaf Scholz showed once again last night how much he and Czech PM Petr Fiala are alike by sacking FDP Chair Christian Lindner as finance minister. Unlike when Fiala dismissed Pirates Chair Ivan Bartoš as development minister, however, Scholz vowed to link the ousting of a coalition partner with a vote of confidence, to be taken on Jan. 15. Scholz is expected to lose the vote, which could bring on early elections in March. The trigger for Lindner's dismissal was a dispute over next year's budget. This could energize some coalition MPs in the Czech Parliament to oppose the 2025 budget proposal of Fiala and Finance Min. Zbyněk Stanjura of ODS. It's widely considered to be in violation of both the coalition's program and the law. The budget vote will in effect become an unofficial vote of confidence in Fiala and Stanjura. If ex-Finance Min. Miroslav Kalousek doesn't use this unique opportunity to pounce, it will show that he really no longer has any place in active Czech politics.