Olaf Scholz plans a vote of confidence to initiate early elections

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that he will face a vote of confidence in parliament next Monday, with the firm intention of losing it. The background to this unusual strategy is the aim to seek early elections on February 23. This decision follows the dissolution of the previous government coalition, which Scholz formed with the Social Democrats, Greens, and Free Democrats. The trigger for the coalition's breakup was the dismissal of Christian Lindner, the finance minister from the FDP. Lindner's departure followed disagreements over the budget, which further exacerbated tensions within the coalition. By prompting the early election, Scholz hopes to gain a clear majority to overcome the political deadlock and establish more stable government conditions.