The German government has officially collapsed after a no confidence vote

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called a confidence vote in the German Parliament on Monday, which he lost by a vote of 394-207, with 116 abstentions. The result effectively ends the unpopular government Scholz has led since 2021.

The loss paves the way for new federal elections, now set to take place in early 2025, most likely on February 23—around seven months earlier than originally scheduled.

Why did Scholz’s government collapse?

In the 2021 elections, Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats (SPD) secured the most seats but fell well short of a majority. To govern, he formed a three-party coalition—the first of its kind in decades—alongside the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP).

This diverse coalition contributed to the government’s instability. The FDP’s fiscally conservative policies often clashed with the priorities of its more progressive coalition partners.

Initially, the government enjoyed relative popularity. However, its fortunes shifted dramatically after Germany’s constitutional court ruled that approximately 60 billion euros, initially allocated for pandemic relief, could not be redirected to other programs.

Rising infighting, policy disagreements, and frequent leaks to the media further eroded voter trust. A string of poor performances in state elections over the summer underscored the coalition’s declining support and made an early dissolution increasingly likely. The final rupture came in November when Scholz dismissed his finance minister, Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP.

What happens next?

Following Monday’s vote, Scholz formally requested that President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolve Parliament. While Steinmeier’s role is largely ceremonial, he has up to 21 days to fulfill this request and schedule the elections. Before doing so, he is expected to hold brief consultations with parliamentary groups.

Once Parliament is dissolved, Scholz’s government will function in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed.

The process has been carefully coordinated, with all major political parties agreeing on the steps leading up to the election. Since November, parties have already begun preparing for the upcoming vote.