German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday lost the confidence vote, paving the way to a snap election on 23 February.
According to The Guardian report, of the 717 votes tallied, 207 gave Scholz their confidence, 394 did not and 116 abstained.
Scholz had required 367 confidence votes to “win” the ballot.
“We have reached the end of our daily agenda, and also of the traffic light coalition,” The Guardian quoted the speaker of the Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, using the nickname of the now defunct three-way coalition, as saying.
Scholz smiled at the outcome and shook hands with Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck. He will now head to Bellevue Palace in Berlin to request that President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolve parliament and call for a general election.
Scholz initiated the vote on Monday, expecting to lose, but saw it as the best strategy to rejuvenate his party’s political position.
This follows the breakdown of Scholz’s three-party coalition government two months ago, leaving him to lead a minority administration.
Earlier in a speech to Parliament, Scholz said he aims to shore up trust in the future of the country by ensuring prosperity and security.
“It is my goal to call an early general election. We need more economic growth,” he said.
Scholz said Germany needs “massive” investment, especially in defence.
“Today a highly armed nuclear power is waging war in Europe just two hours’ flight from here. We must invest massively in our security and defence,” Scholz said.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/german-chancellor-scholz-loses-confidence-vote-paving-way-for-snap-election-on-february-23-13845003.html.
