German parliament rejected motion proposed by the chancellor: 394 deputies voted against, while 207 supported and 116 abstained
Last Monday (18), the German parliament took a crucial decision by rejecting the confidence motion proposed by the chancellor a movement that paves the way for the formation of a new government. This decision could result in early elections, already scheduled for February 23rd. Scholz, who leads the government, called for the motion in the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, after losing his parliamentary majority due to the implosion of the alliance between Social Democrats, environmentalists and liberals. The result of the confidence vote was clear: 394 deputies voted against, while 207 supported and 116 abstained.
With the rejection of the motion, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier now faces the task of deciding whether to dissolve the chamber and call new parliamentary elections, a process that must take place within three weeks. Germany, which is the largest economy in Europe, is in the midst of a serious political crisis, reminiscent of the political instability experienced by neighboring France. This will be the fourth time in 75 years that the country has been forced to bring forward elections since the founding of the modern state. The coalition led by Scholz collapsed in early November after the resignation of Christian Lindner as Finance Minister, prompted by disagreements over the budget.
Since then, legislative initiatives have been paralyzed, with the government operating in the minority. The current crisis is the result of months of disputes between the three allied parties, which have failed to reach a consensus on crucial issues such as economic policy, migration and personal conflicts. In the German parliamentary system, the chancellor acts as head of government, while the president has a protocol role. The current political situation highlights the challenges facing faces maintaining government stability amid significant internal disagreements.
*With information from Thiago Uberreich
*Report produced with the help of AI