German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost the vote of no confidence that he himself called on Monday. This decision clears the path for an early election, which is expected to take place on February 23, 2025.
Scholz’s political situation has become increasingly difficult since last month, when the pro-market Free Democrats left his three-party coalition. This left Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens without a parliamentary majority during the ongoing economic crisis.
Ahead of the vote, party leaders seized the chance to campaign, with Scholz and his conservative challenger, Friedrich Merz, exchanging accusations of incompetence and lacking vision.
Scholz defended his handling of the economic and security crises, particularly the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He promised that if given another term, he would invest in Germany’s aging infrastructure. Merz, however, argued that Scholz’s plans would burden future generations and criticized him for not fulfilling promises on rearmament.
Nevertheless, as a caretaker, Scholz has prepared several measures, including significant tax cuts and increased child benefits, which both former coalition partners and opposition parties might support before the election. The conservatives have also signaled support for measures that protect the Constitutional Court and extend the popular subsidized transport ticket.
Looking ahead to the election, it’s likely the conservatives will emerge as the dominant force. Opinion polls show that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is slightly ahead of the SPD and far outpacing the Greens. Although mainstream parties have refused to cooperate with the AfD, this could change as its presence complicates coalition-building.
AfD leader Alice Weidel has called for Syrian refugees to return to their home country, citing the supposed fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Meanwhile, Robert Habeck, the Greens’ chancellor candidate, expressed concerns that Germany’s fractured government might struggle to unite and govern effectively again.
