German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Loses Confidence Vote, Paving Way for Election

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed with the opposition to hold an election on Feb. 23.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a media briefing in Berlin on Nov. 5, 2024. Annegret Hilse/Reuters

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German parliament on Dec. 16, paving the way for an early election in February 2025.

Scholz, who called the vote, secured the support of 207 lawmakers in the 733-seat lower house, or Bundestag, while 394 voted against him and 116 abstained, leaving him far short of the 367 votes needed for a majority.