German Chancellor Scholz Seeks No-Confidence Vote to Trigger Early Elections

Olaf Scholz's strategic move to lose a parliamentary vote aims to dissolve the Bundestag and pave the way for elections in February.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a no-confidence vote in the Bundestag, intending to lose in order to initiate early elections under Article 68 of the German constitution.
The move follows the collapse of the governing coalition between SPD, Greens, and FDP, leaving Scholz's government without a parliamentary majority.
The Greens have recommended their members abstain from the vote to ensure the motion fails, enabling the Bundestag's dissolution and new elections on February 23, 2025.
The AfD has stated it will vote against Scholz, though one member has announced plans to support him as a protest against the CDU's Friedrich Merz.
If the motion fails as expected, Scholz will request President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to dissolve the Bundestag, a step widely anticipated to be approved.