German President dissolves Bundestag and sets date for early elections

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved the parliament in response to a request from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He set the date of the Bundestag elections for February 23, according to DW.

“In difficult times like now, a capable government and a reliable majority in parliament are needed to ensure stability,” he said.

Scholz asked for a vote of confidence in the Bundestag on December 16 after the so-called traffic light coalition consisting of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) collapsed after about three years in November 2024.

Scholz did not receive a vote in parliament as he had planned. In the vote of confidence, 207 MPs voted in favor of Scholz, 394 voted against, and 116 abstained. As expected, the chancellor lacked the required majority of at least 367 votes.

Scholz then asked Steinmeier to dissolve the Bundestag following Article 68 of the Basic Law. According to this article, the federal president can dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days if the latter loses a vote of confidence on the chancellor’s proposal. Then, early federal elections must be held within 60 days.

Germany is partially politically paralyzed

After the collapse of the traffic light coalition, Germany found itself largely politically blocked on important issues. The departure of the FDP has led to Scholz heading a government supported by the FDP and the Greens, who no longer have a majority in the Bundestag. Without the support of the opposition, it will not be able to achieve anything. At the same time, there is an urgent need to take action. For example, in support of Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. That is why Scholz is seeking new elections.

Steinmeier has already clarified his intention to dissolve the parliament immediately after the coalition collapses. “Our country needs a stable majority and a government that can act,” he said then.

Federal elections are usually held every four years. But in special political crises – especially if the chancellor’s support in parliament is shaken – the vote can be held earlier.

New elections in Germany are extremely rare. They can be an important democratic means of restoring the legitimacy and capacity of a government but require the approval of several constitutional bodies, including the president.

New elections are possible only in two cases

According to the basic law, the members of the Bundestag do not have the right to decide on early elections. Even the chancellor cannot decide on this. Instead, the basic law allows for the early dissolution of the Bundestag in only two cases.

Suppose an absolute parliamentary majority is not achieved after the chancellor’s election, i.e.. In that case, the federal president can dissolve the Bundestag if the candidate does not receive at least one vote from more than half of all deputies. This has never happened before in German history.

In the second case, the chancellor asks the Bundestag for a vote of confidence. This allows him to check whether he still has the necessary support from the deputies. If the majority withdraws its confidence in the chancellor, the federal president can dissolve the Bundestag on the chancellor’s proposal. Another option is for the chancellor to resign or continue as a minority government.

The organization of new elections follows the same principles as regular federal elections. The Federal Returning Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior are responsible for its implementation. Voters have two votes: one for a direct candidate and one for the state party list.

There have been three early federal elections in German history, namely in 1972, 1983, and 2005.