German opposition demands confidence vote next week as Scholz's coalition crumbles

NEWS WIRES

7 November 2024 at 5:24 am·1-min read

Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) opposition party has called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to seek a vote of confidence next week after the ruling coalition fell apart Wednesday night with Scholz's shock dismissal of his finance minister. Scholz had promised to put his government to a confidence vote by January 15, 2025.

Germany's conservative opposition urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz's crisis-hit government on Thursday to seek a confidence vote next week, not next year as he has offered.

Speaking after a meeting of his parliamentary group, CDU chairman Friedrich Merz said Scholz's three-party coalition with the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) had "failed".

After months of bitter infighting, Scholz's fractious three-way coalition finally broke apart on Wednesday night after the chancellor sacked his finance minister Christian Lindner from the FDP.

The shock move leaves the chancellor's SPD and the Greens ruling in a precarious minority government at a time when Germany is facing multiple domestic and international crises.

Scholz said he would seek a vote of confidence by January 15 so lawmakers can decide whether to call early elections by March – about half a year ahead of a previously scheduled September vote.

(AFP)

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