Olaf Scholz's hopes of being re-elected as German chancellor is under threat as calls for his withdrawal intensify. Infighting within the SPD and dwindling popularity among the German people have contributed to the unprecedented move.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz is facing growing calls within his Social Democrats Party (SPD) to step aside and allow his Defence Minister Boris Pistorius to lead the party into next year’s election. He says he wants to run for a second term next year.
Scholz's snap election announcement was backed by SPD leaders this week despite the party languishing in third place behind the opposition conservatives and far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) on around 16%, down 10 points since the 2021 election.
A survey of SPD supporters by pollster Forsa confirmed Scholz’s dwindling popularity within the supporters, with 58% of the voters backing Pistorius as chancellor candidate compared to just 30% for Scholz. However, the final decision is likely to be announced at a party congress in January.
Lesser-known, regional politicians have called for a rethink in what would be an unprecedented move - akin to that of the U.S. Democrats in July in persuading President Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid.
Critics say Scholz lack of leadership resulting in messy, belated compromises, as well as communication skills required to reassure the population, particularly in challenging times, have all contributed to infighting within the coalition. They say it has not helped the party’s nor Scholz’s ambitions as next year’s elections draw nearer.
"Scholz has made good policies over the past three years, but he has not managed to win people over and communicate leadership," two state lawmakers in Hamburg, where Scholz was mayor from 2011-2018, said in a post on Instagram.
Germany is set to hold a snap election on 23 February after Scholz's three-way coalition of SPD, the Greens and neoliberal Free Democrats Party (FDP) collapsed last week following months of infighting.
The Kremlin claims Ukraine and Western nations are rejecting all proposals for dialogue to resolve the war, as Russia and Ukraine held peace talks in ...
The White House allegedly ordered a halt to Pentagon lie detector tests after claims they targeted top officials....
Three drones flew over Japan’s Genkai nuclear plant on Saturday, prompting an investigation by the country’s nuclear watchdog. No irregularities o...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27th of July, covering the latest developments you need to kno...
Cambodia and Thailand accused each other of cross-border attacks on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said their leaders agreed to pursu...
Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced on Saturday that its forces had captured two villages in eastern Ukraine, including one located in the Dnipropetrovsk region — a new front where Moscow claims its troops are advancing.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to meet for ceasefire talks after days of deadly border fighting that has killed more than a dozen people and forced over 150,000 civilians to flee.
Australia and the United Kingdom have signed a landmark 50-year treaty to cement their partnership under the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme.
Firefighters in Greece are battling wildfires near Athens and on several islands as the country swelters under its third heatwave of the summer. Villages have been evacuated as flames spread through dry terrain, fanned by strong winds and record temperatures.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
The Kremlin claims Ukraine and Western nations are rejecting all proposals for dialogue to resolve the war, as Russia and Ukraine held peace talks in Türkiye.
The White House allegedly ordered a halt to Pentagon lie detector tests after claims they targeted top officials.
Three drones flew over Japan’s Genkai nuclear plant on Saturday, prompting an investigation by the country’s nuclear watchdog. No irregularities or threats were found, authorities said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Cambodia and Thailand accused each other of cross-border attacks on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said their leaders agreed to pursue a ceasefire.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment