Germany plans to hold early legislative elections on February 23, 2025, after the breakup of Olaf Scholz's coalition a week ago, according to information obtained by Agence France-Presse from sources close to the Party Social Democrat (SPD) and by the main German media, including The mirror et Bild.
After several days of standoff, the date was concluded in agreement with the main opposition party, the conservatives of the CDU/CSU, added sources close to the SPD, the party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. German media specify that the final decision on the date of the elections must be taken by the Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The head of government, whose coalition was shattered a week ago, “will ask the question of confidence in writing on December 11”and deputies of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, will vote on Monday, December 16, said Rolf Mützenich, head of the SPD parliamentary group, and the leader of the CDU/CSU conservatives, Friedrich Merz, in two separate press conferences. .
The German Chancellor said he was ready, on Sunday, under conditions, to submit this year to a vote of confidence by deputies with a view to accelerating the organization of early legislative elections, after the breakup of his tripartite coalition on Wednesday November 6.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier approved this schedule on Tuesday. The head of state “welcomes the agreement reached by the parliamentary groups for a roadmap with a view to a vote of confidence” December 16 and “considers that February 23, 2025 is a realistic date for new elections”informed his office in a press release.
Scholz in a hurry to pick up the pace
Mr. Scholz, now at the head of a minority government with the environmentalists, had initially set the vote of confidence for January 15, with a view to a vote in March. But pressed from all sides to accelerate the pace, the unpopular leader then backed down and entrusted the task of setting the date to the parliamentary groups of the conservatives of the CDU/CSU and the SPD.
The new German Finance Minister, Jörg Kukies, also judged on Tuesday “not realistic” the adoption of a federal budget for 2025 before the early elections, which will force Germany to operate with a provisional minimum budget. “Any person who (…) knows a little about budgetary procedures knows that it is not realistic to expect the adoption of the new 2025 federal budget »declared the social democratic minister, who took office last week, at a press conference.
In the event that no finance law is adopted for 2025, Germany will operate with “provisional budgetary management”explained Mr. Kukies, ensuring that “this is neither exceptional nor technically problematic”according to a case provided for in the German Basic Law.
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Once Olaf Scholz loses the confidence of the Bundestag deputies – an almost inevitable scenario given that he no longer has a majority – Mr. Steinmeier will have three weeks to dissolve the Lower House.
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Then, according to the procedure, new elections must take place within sixty days. Since Monday, the president has been holding consultations with party leaders to find a suitable date. Federal Electoral Officer Ruth Brand said Tuesday she was not opposed to an early election before March, deeming holding a vote feasible “with complete legal security”during a hearing before the Bundestag Election Control Committee.
