Scholz loses trust test - what is now in Germany?
Scholz loses trust test - what is now in Germany?
Germany, the largest economy in Europe and usually a pillar of stability, is facing New elections after Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a vote. His Government collapsed due to a household dispute, although the coalition had been shaky for months. Scholz lost the coordination, which he himself called a step towards early national elections, with 394 votes against him, 207 for this and 116 abstentions. With the election date, which is set on February 23 of next year, a lot is at stake.
who is running?
In the elections, the Germans will be able to vote for seven large parties. Four of the seven parties have already made official announcements about their chancellor candidates. The two dominating parties in German politics, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), which are known together as Union, represent one alliance. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) forms the other.
Since the German electoral system is based on proportional representation, the government is usually formed in a coalition, which is usually cited by the CDU/CSU or the SPD. The winner is looking for a partner to form a majority. Since 2021, the SPD under Scholz has been ruling in a difficult coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens. In the 16 years before Scholz ’triadry coalition, the CDU under Angela Merkel had resorted to both, the SPD and the FDP, as partners in various governments.
In this round, the CDU/CSU is led by Friedrich Merz, while the SPD is led by the incumbent but deeply unpopular Chancellor Scholz. The right-wing extremist Alternative for Germany (AfD) Experience upswing. Co-chairman Alice Weidel is the Chancellor candidate of the AfD and is known for her populist rhetoric, especially in terms of migration. She is a passionate advocate of traditional German values and has said: "Nobody touches my schnitzel!" - an indication of the popular court.
Friedrich Merz in focus
Friedrich Merz is not a newcomer in German politics, but is now returning for the second time. Between 1989 and 1994 he was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Germany and then a member of the Bundestag until 2009. Then he left politics and worked as a corporate lawyer and sat on various supervisory boards, including the investment giant Blackrock.
Merz represents the constituency of Hochsauerlandkreis in the Bundestag, the region in which he was born and currently lives in his hometown Brilon. It is reported that he is a millionaire and has a private pilot license. Merz undertook two failed attempts to become CDU boss in 2018 and 2020 before returning as a member of the Bundestag in 2021 and finally taking over the CDU in September 2022.
The central themes of the election
The economy will play a central role in the elections, especially in view of the sluggish performance under Scholz. Recently the Deutsche Bundesbank The growth forecasts revised by 0.2 % down and found that "the German economy will stagnate in the 2024-25 winter season and will only start slowly in the course of 2025."
Another central topic will be the revival of the country's important automotive industry, since the Bundesbank determines that problems in the industry are “structural” and thus tighten the economic stagnation. Large companies such as Volkswagen, one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, are Massive discharge and factory closures
How is it going after the election?
It is difficult to imagine that the CDU/CSU and Friedrich Merz do not emerge from the elections. Your lead seems to be strengthened and unchallenged. However, the big question will be the formation of a stable government. It is unlikely that the CDU/CSU will win an absolute majority of the 630 seats to be awarded; This means that you have to form a coalition with one (or more) of the other parties. The question is: with whom?
If the AfD confirms the surveys, this would be an important turning point in German politics. Since its foundation in 2013, the party has never won more than 94 seats. In 2021 she took fifth and third place in the party ranking in 2017. Although the AfD sees itself as a potential royal maker, the CDU/CSU could hesitate to give them such a prominent voice in the government.
In any case,The federal election probably seems to lead to deep humiliation for the SPD and Scholz, which must enter into a phase of self -reflection. "It is probably the end of his political career," von Randow told Cnn.