Scholz Faces Confidence Vote Today, Expected Loss to Trigger February 23 Elections

Dec 16, 2024, 05:29 AM

On December 16, 2024, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to face a vote of confidence in the Bundestag, which he is expected to lose, paving the way for snap elections on February 23. The move comes after his coalition government collapsed in November due to disagreements over economic policy, leadership, and experience. By intentionally losing the vote, Scholz aims to dissolve parliament and trigger early elections. The Greens have indicated they will abstain from the vote to facilitate this outcome. Despite Scholz remaining confident that he will succeed himself, he is considered the most unpopular Chancellor in the history of the Federal Republic. New OECD figures show that almost half of Germans distrust the government. Previous SPD Chancellors have used the confidence vote to initiate early elections. This is the first time in almost 20 years that a German Chancellor has taken this step.