Media reports German election ready for third annual memory of Russia-Ukraine war
Date
11/13/2024 7:37:41 AM
(MENAFN) Germany will hold its next parliamentary election on February 23, 2024, according to reports from various media outlets, including DPA. The date was reportedly agreed upon by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, their coalition partners the Greens, and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the country’s largest opposition party.
The announcement follows the collapse of the governing three-party coalition, which included the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP). Last week, Scholz dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who also leads the FDP. In response, the FDP withdrew from the coalition, leaving Scholz with a minority government.
The breakup of the coalition was partly due to disagreements over the national budget and economic policies. Aid to Ukraine became a significant point of contention, with Scholz proposing a four-point plan that included increasing support for Ukraine, which Lindner opposed.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed readiness to call an early election, stating that the country needs "a stable majority and a government that is capable of acting." To trigger an early election, Scholz must first lose a vote of confidence in his government. If the government fails to win the vote, Steinmeier will have 21 days to dissolve parliament, with the new election scheduled within 60 days, making February 23 a likely election day.
The election date coincides with the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, which began on February 24, 2022, although it is unclear if this timing influenced the parties’ decision.
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