Germany’s Government Has Collapsed

Germany’s governing coalition has collapsed following disagreements over the country’s weak economy, which led Chancellor Olaf Scholz to dismiss Finance Minister Christian Lindner, Sophie Tanno, Sebastian Shukla, and Olesya Dmitracova reported for CNN.

A Scholz loss in the confidence vote he intends to schedule on January 15 could lead to elections by the end of March—six months earlier than the next scheduled elections in September 2025. I Photo: European Parliament Flickr

Lindner’s dismissal prompted him to withdraw his Free Democrats Party (FDP) from the coalition with Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), leaving Scholz in a minority government with the Green Party.

Scholz said he would call a confidence vote for January 15. If he loses, this could lead to elections by the end of March—six months earlier than the next scheduled elections in September 2025.

Political stability is typical for Germany, where power traditionally alternates between the SPD and the conservative CDU. Germany’s previous leader, Angela Merkel, held power for 16 years, providing a steady presence on the European stage.

Germany now faces uncertainty at a critical moment, as news of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election has raised concerns that may impact Germany’s economy and Europe’s united front on key issues.