German president dissolves Bundestag, new elections called

German Federal President Steinmeier has dissolved the Bundestag, the German parliament, and called new elections for early next year. On 16 December, Chancellor Scholz’s government formally fell.

After Scholz dismissed the FDP Finance Minister in November, other FDP ministers resigned. Scholz remained in a minority government of his own party, the SPD, and the Greens.

It was already agreed at that time to bring the elections forward to 23 February. That was seven months earlier than planned. However, according to the German constitution, early elections can only be called under strict conditions.

Scholz therefore requested a vote of confidence in the Bundestag. In the end, as expected, a majority of parliament withdrew confidence in the government.

‘Ensuring stability’

After the vote, the Chancellor asked Steinmeier to dissolve parliament and call elections. He has now done so. “In these difficult times, a strong government with a reliable majority is needed to ensure stability,” Steinmeier said at a press conference.

The president also called on political parties to hold fair and transparent election campaigns. “Outside influence is a danger to democracy, whether it is done secretly, as was apparently the case in the elections in Romania, or openly and shamelessly, as is now happening on X,” Steinmeier said.

Scholz and his ministers will remain in office until a new government is formed.