German leader set to ask for Dec. 16 confidence vote, paving way for election as early as February

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to ask for a vote of confidence in his government on Dec. 16, paving the way for a new parliamentary election as early as February, German media reported Tuesday.

The expected vote in the Bundestag would come well ahead of original plans, marking a step to reach compromise between Scholz's party, the Social Democrats, and the main opposition party in parliament, the center-right Christian conservatives.

The move comes after the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition last week, at a time when the leaders of Europe's biggest economy have been grappling with ways to revive Germany's anemic economic growth.

Experts predict the economy will shrink or at best stagnate this year, due to external shocks and homegrown problems including red tape and a shortage of skilled labor.

Scholz had previously announced that he would seek a vote of confidence on Jan. 15 that could lead to an election as soon as March. The vote had otherwise been due next September.

On Tuesday, Scholz told public broadcaster ARD that it was “no problem” for him to call for the confidence vote before Christmas, and that he would respect any agreement by his fellow Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats.

A final decision on the exact date for the election — possibly Feb. 16 or Feb. 23 — would rest with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Scholz announced that he would lead Germany with a minority government after his move last week to fire Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the pro-business Free Democrats, ending its role in the coalition.

Left with the environmentalist Greens in his coalition, Scholz expressed hope to win support of the Christian Democrats, led by Friedrich Merz, to pass important legislation and plug the billion-euro hole in the 2025 budget.

Merz vehemently rejected Scholz’s initial plan to wait until January to hold the confidence vote. If the government doesn't win the vote of confidence, which has seemed increasingly likely, Steinmeier can dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days and call a new election.