German President dissolves parliament, sets early election date

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced on December 27 that the parliament would be dissolved and the country would hold early elections on February 23, 2025.

“Especially in difficult times like these, a government that can act and has the confidence of parliament is needed to maintain stability. That is why early elections are the right decision for Germany,” President Steinmeier said in a speech on December 27, Reuters reported.

Mr. Steinmeier also called for fair and transparent elections, noting threats from external forces that could influence the election.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks on December 27

Berlin officials began considering plans for early elections after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a no-confidence vote he himself proposed in parliament on December 16. This resulted in Mr. Scholz losing his position and now leading the caretaker government until a new cabinet is formed.

The storm hit Mr. Scholz's government after the Free Democratic Party (FDP) of former Finance Minister Christian Lindner withdrew from the ruling coalition due to disputes over economic policy, causing Mr. Scholz's faction to no longer hold a majority in parliament.

Polls show conservative candidate Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is expected to replace Chancellor Scholz. The conservative CDU is also leading Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) by more than 10 percentage points in many polls. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is also slightly ahead of the SPD, while the Greens are in fourth place.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tong-thong-duc-giai-tan-quoc-hoi-an-dinh-ngay-bau-cu-som-185241227200046604.htm