German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is set to announce his decision today, Friday, regarding Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s request to dissolve the Bundestag, paving the way for early general elections.
It is widely expected that Steinmeier will approve Scholz’s request and announce February 23 as the date for the snap elections. This date has already been agreed upon by leaders of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union, along with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union.
The development follows Scholz’s defeat in a vote of confidence in the Bundestag on December 16, a consequence of the collapse of the ruling coalition last month. The coalition, formed three years ago, included the Social Democrats, the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party.
Following the vote, Scholz invoked Article 68 of the German Constitution to request the dissolution of parliament. According to the constitution, the president can dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days of such a request, with elections required within 60 days after dissolution, as stated in Article 39.
Steinmeier had conducted consultations with parliamentary leaders to explore the possibility of forming a stable majority for the current government. However, no viable solutions emerged. Notably, the recent vote of confidence was the sixth in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, with three of those leading to parliamentary dissolution.
