The President of Germany has called early elections for February 23
28.12.2024 | 13:45 |
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has dissolved the Bundestag and scheduled early elections for February 23. Earlier, the parliament had voted to withdraw confidence from Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced the dissolution of the Bundestag and the calling of early elections on February 23. "In such difficult times as these, effective government and a reliable majority are necessary for stability. That is why I am convinced that new elections are the right path for the good of our country," the head of state said on December 27 at the Bellevue Palace.
Steinmeier had previously announced the forthcoming decision to dissolve the Bundestag on December 20, noting that there were no longer any prospects for creating a stable parliamentary majority for the German government.
On the extraordinary session of December 16, the Bundestag voted to withdraw confidence from Olaf Scholz's government. A total of 394 deputies voted in favor of dissolving the parliament and holding new elections, 207 supported Scholz's government, and 116 abstained. The motion for a vote of confidence was submitted to the parliament by Scholz himself on December 11. Scholz, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), emphasized that his goal was not to secure the Bundestag's support, but to pave the way for early elections, where voters could decide the future political direction of the country.
According to Article 68 of Germany's Basic Law, after the Bundestag withdraws confidence from the government, the federal president has 21 days to dissolve the parliament and call for new elections. Steinmeier could have refrained from this step and allowed the minority government under Scholz to remain in power, but in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, in all cases when the Bundestag has withdrawn confidence from the government, the parliament has been dissolved, and new elections were held. Until a new government is formed, the previous government and the Bundestag continue to fulfill their duties.
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