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The government of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence in the German parliament on Monday, opening the way for snap elections on 23 February 2025.
Germanlawmakersvotedtodissolvetheexistinggovernmentbyavoteof394to207,with116abstaining,ninemonthsbeforeparliamentaryelectionswerescheduledtohappen.
GermanPresidentFrank-WalterSteinmeierwasforcedtodissolvetheparliamentaheadofthenewelectionswiththeno-confidencevote.
ThenewscomesafterthegoverningcoalitionofFrance,theotherleadingpowerintheEuropeanUnion,collapsedonlyafewweeksago.
Scholz,whohasledGermanysinceDecember2021,isthemostunpopularchancellorinthepost-warera,asEurope’slargesteconomycontinuestoimplodeoverhighenergycostscausedbythewarinUkraine.
ThechancellorwarnedmembersoftheBundestag,theGermanparliament,beforetheDecember16votethat“politicsisnotagame.”.
Scholtzsaiditisnowuptovotersto“determinethepoliticalcourseofourcountry,”whichfacesthefourthsnapelectioninGermanhistoryinthe75yearssincetheendoftheSecondWorldWar
