On Monday, a majority of the 733 lawmakers in the Bundestag pulled their support for the German chancellor, all but ensuring an early election — one he’s likely to lose. This was the inevitable result of his coalition falling apart last month due to deep rifts over government spending.
In a last-ditch effort to salvage his position, Scholz told parliament, “In such an election, the citizens can then determine the political course of our country.” But that won’t stop the political chaos. Despite the SPD’s loyal backing of the chancellor, the Greens, his current partners in the minority government, wisely stayed neutral to prevent a last-minute surprise by the far-right AfD.
A few AfD lawmakers had initially flirted with the idea of supporting Scholz. Their reason? Fear that Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU, would escalate tensions with Russia and drag Germany into a war by supporting Ukraine more aggressively than Scholz.
Later in the day, Scholz was due to meet with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to request the dissolution of the Bundestag. If Steinmeier agrees, Germany will be on track for a snap election — potentially as early as February 23, 2025.
This sudden political turmoil isn’t new for Germany. The last time a chancellor faced a vote of no confidence was back in 2005 when Gerhard Schröder’s SPD government collapsed, leading to Angela Merkel’s rise to power and 16 years of CDU leadership. It’s becoming clear that the political establishment has failed the people, and the coming election might just bring an opportunity for change. The question is: Will the establishment let go of its stranglehold, or will the German people finally have their say?
