Frankfurt: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces increasing calls to expedite a parliamentary confidence vote, potentially paving the way for early elections amid the collapse of his coalition government. Leaders from the Green Party, part of Scholz’s minority government alongside his Social Democrats (SPD), urged the chancellor to advance the vote to December instead of his proposed date in January.
The political turbulence erupted last week when Germany’s three-way coalition government unraveled over disputes on government spending to boost economic growth and aid Ukraine. As Europe’s largest economy navigates this crisis, prominent Green Party members, Anton Hofreiter and Irene Mihalic, have voiced support for a December confidence vote, aiming for swift resolution before the end of the year. “Olaf Scholz should call a vote of confidence in December so that everything can be clarified before Christmas and the New Year,” Hofreiter told Bild newspaper.
The confidence vote is seen as a critical step toward a snap election, which Scholz has tentatively scheduled for March, following a proposed confidence vote on January 15. However, the conservative opposition, led by Friedrich Merz, is pressing for an even earlier election in January, arguing that prolonged uncertainty harms Germany’s political and economic stability.
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While Scholz has yet to comment publicly on these calls, he is expected to address the issue in a televised interview later on Sunday. On Friday, Scholz urged Germany’s political factions to focus on securing parliamentary consensus on remaining legislation, downplaying accusations that he is seeking to delay elections to further his agenda.
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The growing calls for an expedited confidence vote reflect heightened urgency within German politics to restore government stability and address economic challenges.
