Scholz gets reelected for Germany`s chancellorship

(MENAFN) Olaf Scholz has been unanimously nominated by the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) as their candidate for chancellor in Germany's upcoming general election. Scholz, who has led the government since December 2021 as part of the "traffic light" coalition with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), saw the coalition break down earlier this month following the dismissal of Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the FDP. SPD co-leaders Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil confirmed Scholz’s nomination for the February 23 early election, calling him "principled and determined." They also emphasized the short and intense nature of the upcoming campaign, contrasting Scholz’s experience with that of his rival, Friedrich Merz, who heads the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

In a historic first for Germany, the election will feature four chancellor candidates: Scholz, Merz, the Greens' Robert Habeck, and Alternative for Germany's Alice Weidel. While some speculated that SPD Defense Minister Boris Pistorius could be nominated, he recently announced he was not interested in the position. Current polls show CDU/CSU leading with 34% support, followed by the AfD, SPD, and Greens.

MENAFN26112024000045015687ID1108927212