Political earthquake Germany After disintegrate the government coalition led by the social democrat Olaf Scholzwho says he will submit to a vote of confidence in January, even though the opposition demands he do it now and paves the way for early elections.
The German Chancellor announced this Wednesday dismissal of his Minister of Financethe liberal Christian Lindner, and with him the breakup of the coalition of social democrats, greens and liberals after three years of arguments. Furthermore, he indicated that he would submit to a question of confidence during the first parliamentary session of the new year, on January 15. Scholz implicitly admitted that he did not expect to overcome it, because he does not have a majority, which would lead to early electionsprobably in March.
The leader of the conservatives Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz however urged him this Thursday to submit to the vote of confidence next week at the latestsince the government coalition “no longer has a majority” in the Bundestag. Scholz, however, argued that “The government will now do its job and citizens will once again be able to decide how things will continue. »
German president calls for accountability
In this context, the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeierurged all political leaders this Thursday to rise to the occasion. “Now is not the time for tactics and skirmishes. It is time for common sense and responsibility. I expect all those responsible to be up to the task. of the scale of the challenges,” declared the Head of State.
Steinmeier recalled that in the 75-year history of the Federal Republic of Germany, it has rarely happened that a governing coalition ceases to have a majority in the Bundestag before the end of the legislature and stressed that, even if the collapse of the executive “it’s not the end of the world, yes, it is a political crisis that we must put behind us and that we will leave behind us. »
“The Basic Law establishes clear guidelines for the further procedure, our democracy is strong,” stressed Steinmeier, who explained that Scholz had asked him the day before to dismiss Lindner and the two other Liberal Party ministers who will leave the coalition: until now the head of Justice, Marco Buschman, and that of Education, Bettina Stark-Watzinger.
Transport and Digital Minister Volker Wissing, also a liberal, will remain in office at Scholz’s request and has announced that he is leaving Lindner’s party. The chancellor and other Social Democratic and Green ministers will also remain in their respective posts, albeit in a minority government, as provided for in Germany’s Magna Carta.
Before the collapse of the coalition, the parliamentary elections were scheduled for September 28, but now, given the high probability that Scholz would lose the vote, They will probably take place in early March. The German President must decide on the dissolution of the Lower House if he withdraws his confidence from the chancellor. “I’m ready to make this decision“, assured Steinmeier, who insisted that Germany “needs stable majorities and a government capable of acting.”
Former Minister Lindner, for his part, accuses Scholz of forcing a “calculated break” of the coalition and leading Germany into a “phase of uncertainty”. Scholz’s main advisor, Jörg Kukies, will now take over the finance portfolio from the minority government.
