German Coalition Bickers Over Size of Stake in Tankmaker KNDS

Germany’s ruling coalition is wrestling over how large a stake to buy in Franco-German tankmaker KNDS NV ahead of its planned initial public offering, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The center-left Social Democrats, who control the finance and defense ministries, are arguing for the government to acquire a roughly 40% stake in KNDS before the listing, the people said. That would give it a shareholding on par with the French government after the offering.