President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday dissolved Germany's lower house of parliament to pave the way for snap elections on Feb. 23 following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-way coalition.
"Especially in difficult times, like now, stability requires a government capable of acting, and reliable majorities in parliament," which was why early elections were the right way forward for Germany, Steinmeier said in Berlin.
After the elections, problem-solving must become the core business of politics again, added Steinmeier in a speech.
The president, whose post has been largely ceremonial in the post-war era, also called for the election campaign to be conducted fairly and transparently.
"External influence is a danger to democracy, whether it is covert, as was evidently the case recently in the Romanian elections, or open and blatant, as is currently being practiced particularly intensively on (social media) platform X," he said.
Scholz, a Social Democrat who will head a caretaker government until a new one can be formed, lost a confidence vote in parliament earlier this month after the departure of Finance Minister Christian Lindner's Free Democrats left his unwieldy governing coalition without a legislative majority.
The vote also kicked off election campaigning in earnest, with conservative challenger Friedrich Merz, who surveys suggest is likely to replace Scholz, asserting that the incumbent government had imposed excessive regulations and stifled growth.
The conservatives hold a comfortable lead of more than 10 points over the Social Democrats (SPD) in most polls. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is slightly ahead of the SPD, while the Greens, a coalition partner, are in fourth place.
The mainstream parties have refused to govern with the AfD, but its presence complicates the parliamentary arithmetic, making shaky coalitions more likely.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
A man drove a car into a group of people in the southern German city of Passau on Saturday. Police say the motive may be personal and have not ruled out that the act was deliberate.
Germany’s new government has launched a major program aimed at boosting investment and helping Europe’s largest economy recover after two years of decline.
Germany will increase its military personnel by up to 60,000 troops as part of efforts to meet new NATO force and readiness targets, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced Friday, citing the country’s responsibility as Europe's largest economy.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Germany’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, had a surprisingly friendly and calm meeting at the White House. They talked about important issues like the war in Ukraine, trade, and NATO troops, but unlike some past meetings with world leaders, this one went smoothly.
Driverless lorries are already rolling on highways between Beijing and Tianjin port, showing how China’s transport industry could change soon.
Colombia has cut deforestation by a third in early 2025, with the biggest progress seen in Amazon national parks.
As countries ramp up offshore wind farms to meet climate goals, scientists are warning about a growing issue: wind farms accidentally draining energy from one another — a phenomenon now nicknamed “wind theft.”
Kenya has directed its tea factories to suspend ties with the Rainforest Alliance, saying the cost of ethical certification is too high for struggling smallholder farmers.
Rwanda has officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing political bias and obstruction by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture early Monday, causing no reported injuries or damage, and no tsunami warning was issued, officials confirmed.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak this week to discuss recent trade tensions, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine ended abruptly in Istanbul on Monday, lasting just over an hour amid mounting tensions following a major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian strategic bombers and renewed pressure from the U.S. for a breakthrough.
Eid al-Adha, known as the "Festival of Sacrifice," stands as one of Islam's most significant celebrations, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command.
Driverless lorries are already rolling on highways between Beijing and Tianjin port, showing how China’s transport industry could change soon.
Kenya has directed its tea factories to suspend ties with the Rainforest Alliance, saying the cost of ethical certification is too high for struggling smallholder farmers.
Rwanda has officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing political bias and obstruction by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic held regular political consultations in Prague, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry announced.
The UK government has pushed back its plans to regulate artificial intelligence by at least a year, opting instead to prepare a more wide-ranging bill covering both safety and copyright issues.
Driverless lorries are already rolling on highways between Beijing and Tianjin port, showing how China’s transport industry could change soon.
Colombia has cut deforestation by a third in early 2025, with the biggest progress seen in Amazon national parks.
As countries ramp up offshore wind farms to meet climate goals, scientists are warning about a growing issue: wind farms accidentally draining energy from one another — a phenomenon now nicknamed “wind theft.”
Kenya has directed its tea factories to suspend ties with the Rainforest Alliance, saying the cost of ethical certification is too high for struggling smallholder farmers.
Rwanda has officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing political bias and obstruction by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
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