German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Photo: Thomas Koehler / bundesfinanzministerium.de
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has come under increasing pressure from the opposition over calls to speed up the organisation of early elections, DPA reports. The leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, is demanding a key vote to start the election process as early as Wednesday.
This pressure intensified after the coalition suffered a serious blow when the Free Democratic Party (FDP) left the coalition. After that, Scholz announced his intention to hold a confidence vote in January, and elections could be held as early as March. Merz, however, is pushing for an earlier date, telling Stern magazine that the chancellor’s speech on Wednesday could be a “great opportunity” for a vote now.
The FDP is also calling for immediate elections to pave the way for new political arrangements after the coalition’s exit. The leader of the Greens, Omid Nuripour, also stated that the party is ready for early elections.
According to Bild polls, amid the political crisis, the CDU/CSU has 32% support, while the rating of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party has fallen to 15%. The right-wing radical Alternative for Germany (AfD) came in second with 19%, but the CDU/CSU has no plans to form a coalition with them.
At the same time, CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann criticised the election commissioner’s warnings about possible difficulties with organising elections in a short time. He stressed that a country of Germany’s stature should be ready for elections in 60 days.
The German paper industry has assured that it will be able to provide sufficient paper for the elections if orders are placed in advance.
Meanwhile, the federal and state election commissions are planning to discuss preparations for the Bundestag elections, and the parties of the coalition’s remnants are already planning a special meeting to agree on the election schedule.
