Germany is set to hold a snap election on February 23 after an agreement was reached among parties in the country’s fractured parliament. The decision comes after Germany’s governing coalition collapsed last week due to disagreements over the country’s weak economy, leading Chancellor Olaf Scholz to sack his finance minister and leaving him in a minority government with the Green Party.
The exact date for the election is pending confirmation by the president, following a vote of confidence that Scholz must call. The confidence vote is scheduled for December 16, as agreed upon by all parliamentary parties. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is expected to approve the election date, emphasizing the need for a government capable of taking action to address the country's challenges.
The announcement of the election date, originally slated for September 2025, follows the recent turmoil in Scholz’s government triggered by the dismissal of the finance minister. Scholz initially planned to hold the confidence vote on January 15 but faced pressure from the opposition party, Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), to expedite the process.
Friedrich Merz, CDU leader, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that there was no reason to delay the confidence vote until January. Scholz eventually indicated his willingness to call the vote before Christmas, signaling a shift in his position.
Scholz currently leads a minority government with the Greens, facing growing discontent among the German populace. Recent opinion polls have shown Scholz to be one of the least popular chancellors in the country's history, reflecting the challenges ahead for the upcoming election.
