Germany’s head of state started the countdown to a general election on Friday by dissolving the country’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.
“I have to dissolve the German 20th Bundestag in order to set the date for early elections on February 23,” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, adding that “political stability in Germany is a valuable asset. “
Steinmeier’s resolution comes after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s vote of confidence in Parliament on December 16.
Steinmeier set the date for the new election for February 23.
The parliamentary leaders of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the conservative opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had previously agreed on the date.
Recent opinion polls give the CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, a lead of around 10 points over the centre-left SPD, suggesting a re-election bid for Scholz.
The far-right populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) conducted polls and nominated Alice Weidel as its candidate for chancellor.
But other parties have so far refused to collaborate with the AfD and Weidel has little or no chance of accepting the position.
Among the main issues facing Germany are immigration, reviving the economy and how Ukraine will be more productive as it fights Russia’s continued invasion.
“Hatred and violence will have no place in this electoral campaign, nor will denigration or intimidation. . . all of this is poison for democracy,” Steinmeier said.
The president also briefed political parties and the electorate on the demanding situations the country will face next given the “economically volatile situation. . . wars in the Middle East and Ukraine” and ongoing debates over immigration and climate change.
kb/rc (dpa, Reuters, AFP)