German Chancellor Scholz Loses Confidence Vote, Sets Date for Snap Election

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faced a confidence vote in the Bundestag on December 16, 2024, which ultimately resulted in a loss of support for his leadership. The vote, which had been initiated by Scholz himself, sets the stage for early elections. Following the expected loss of the vote, Scholz is expected to request the dissolution of the Bundestag from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The German president has 21 days to decide whether to approve the request and schedule new elections, which are now anticipated to take place on February 23, 2025, ahead of the originally planned election date of September 2025.

Scholz’s red-green minority government will remain in power until the elections. During this period, the largest opposition party, the CDU/CSU, has pledged to cooperate on essential decisions. The confidence vote saw 207 members of the Bundestag vote in favor of Scholz, while 394 voted against him, signaling the lack of confidence from the majority of lawmakers. The Bundestag is composed of 733 members in total.