German chancellor requests confidence vote to pave way for early elections

BERLIN

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday requested a confidence vote in parliament next week to pave the way for early elections in the country.

At a press conference in Berlin, Scholz announced his submission of a request to parliament for a confidence vote next week, with the debate scheduled for Dec. 16.


“I will explain my proposal in detail in the Bundestag (parliament) next Monday. If members of the parliament accept the path I have proposed, I will then ask President Frank Walter Steinmeier to dissolve the parliament,” Scholz said.

“If President Steinmeier supports my proposal, German voters will be able to elect a new Bundestag on February 23 - that is my goal,” he added.


Scholz’s three-way coalition government between his Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) collapsed last month, due to intense disputes concerning economic policy and the government's spending plans.

Germany's political system is designed to promote governmental stability, with specific constitutional safeguards against frequent changes in leadership. Under the constitution, early elections can be triggered if the chancellor loses a vote of confidence in parliament and the president dissolves parliament following the chancellor's request.