An 88-year-old former SS soldier has been charged in Germany over the Second World War massacre of an entire French village in which 642 men, women and children were slaughtered.

Germany’s president is appealing to Britain not to turn its back on the European Union, while voicing understanding for its frustration with the EU.

Angela Merkel’s coalition seemed dangerously close to rupture when her Free Democrat (FDP) partners defied the chancellor and backed an opposition candidate for the German presidency, centre-right coalition sources admitted.

A special assembly of the German parliament will vote on March 18 for a successor to former president Christian Wulff, who resigned abruptly on Friday over growing allegations that he had received favours from friends.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel bowed to pressure yesterday and agreed to back popular opposition candidate Joachim Gauck to become president, averting a political fight that might have distracted her government from solving the eurozone crisis.

The government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing a tough test with today's election of the country's new president.