German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday lost a confidence vote in parliament in a move calculated to pave the way for early elections next February.
Speaking to parliament, Scholz defended his decision to end the coalition with the liberal FDP party, stressing that early elections would allow voters to determine the country's future direction.
"Bringing forward the federal election-that is my goal. In this election, the citizens can then set the political course for our country, that is what this is all about," Scholz said. He criticized his former coalition partner FDP for impeding crucial decisions on economic challenges.
"Politics is not a game. To join a government, you need a certain moral maturity. Anyone who joins a government bears responsibility for the whole country. Responsibility that goes beyond their own party program and their own voters," he said, adding that dissolving the coalition with the FDP had become inevitable given the political impasse.
The Social Democrat chancellor lost the vote of confidence in parliament by a vote of 394-207 with 116 abstentions. His coalition partner, the Greens, strategically abstained to ensure the success of the maneuver to trigger early elections.
A confidence vote was required to initiate early elections under Germany's Constitution, which permits such elections only in exceptional circumstances to maintain political stability.
According to the Constitution, when a parliamentary majority withdraws confidence in the chancellor, the president may dissolve parliament at the chancellor's request, triggering new elections.
After the vote, Scholz went to meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Presidential Office. During their meeting, Scholz formally requested the dissolution of parliament, according to a statement from Steinmeier's office.
"The president has 21 days to decide on dissolving parliament. Before making this decision, he will consult with all parliamentary group leaders," his spokeswoman Cerstin Gammelin said.
"If the president chooses to dissolve parliament, new elections must take place within 60 days, as mandated by the Constitution," she added.
Scholz's three-way coalition government between his Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) collapsed last month due to intense disputes concerning economic policy and government spending plans.
After the government's collapse, parliamentary leaders from the SPD, the Greens, and the main opposition Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) agreed to propose Feb. 23 as the date for early elections. The final decision on the election date will be made by Steinmeier.
