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The German president dissolves the parliament, early elections on February 23

2024-12-27 17:55:34, Kosova & Bota CNA

Germany will hold early elections on February 23. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier decided today to dissolve parliament, a decision that followed the fall of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition, which lost a vote of confidence on December 16. The election campaign has already started and polls show that the conservative opposition led by Friedrich Merz is in the lead.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier today ordered the dissolution of parliament and the holding of elections on February 23, 7 months before regular general elections. He said this is the only way to ensure a stable government capable of handling the problems facing the country.

" I expect that the elections will be conducted with respect and courtesy, as at the end of them compromise will be required to form a stable government ," he said.

This development comes after Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence on December 16. He is leading a minority government after his coalition collapsed on November 6 due to the sacking of the finance minister amid a dispute over Germany's weak economy. Although the main parties had agreed on the date of the elections, according to the constitution, the decision to dissolve the parliament rests with the president.

Campaigning has already begun and polls show Mr Scholz's party trailing the conservative opposition bloc led by Friedrich Merz. President Steinmeir called for parties to stay away from any foreign influence, citing the case of Romania where the Supreme Court annulled the first round of the presidential election after allegations that Russia was running a coordinated online campaign to supported the far-right candidate, who won the first round.

" I expect the election campaign to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner. Foreign influence is a danger to democracy, whether this influence is covert as was the case recently in the Romanian elections, or as clear as sunlight, as is currently happening. especially on the X platform ," said President Steinmeier.

If there is no change in the polls, the next German government will be led by Friedrich Merz, in coalition with at least one party. The far-right alternative AfD, which enjoys strong support according to opinion polls, appears to have no chance of governing as other parties refuse to work with it. The main issues of the campaign are related to immigration, how the sluggish economy will work and finding a more efficient way to help Ukraine.

Traditionally, the German electoral system favors coalitions, and polls show that no party will manage to secure the votes to govern alone, which is expected to end in weeks of negotiations to form the new government. This is the fourth time that the Bundestag has been dissolved before the deadline, based on the provisions of the German constitution after World War II./ VOA