Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a no-confidence vote in Parliament, leading to a snap election in February. The three-party coalition collapsed due to disagreements on modernizing the economy. Scholz needed 396 votes, but only received 207. President Frank-Walter Steinmeir is expected to dissolve Parliament, with new elections on Feb. 23. France is also facing political turmoil, with President Macron appointing his fourth prime minister. Scholz took over as chancellor in 2021, forming a coalition with the Greens and Free Democrats. The coalition failed to address key issues like economic recovery post-pandemic and competition from China. With Trump’s return, Germany faces further economic challenges. The far-right AfD has made gains in recent elections, possibly becoming the second largest party behind the Union parties. Germany’s history includes few confidence votes, with Scholz’s being the sixth. The future of German politics remains uncertain with the upcoming elections.
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Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, fails confidence vote
