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Germany Sets Date for Bundestag Elections
Germany sets February 23, 2024, as the date for new Bundestag elections after the collapse of the governing coalition. Negotiations between major parties resulted in the compromise date, despite scheduling challenges and political maneuvering.
German
Germany
Germany ElectionGovernmentGerman PoliticsCoalitionNegotiations
SpdUnionGreensCduCsu
Olaf ScholzRolf MützenichFriedrich MerzFrank-Walter SteinmeierRuth Brand
- What is the date of the upcoming German Bundestag election?
- Germany will hold new Bundestag elections on February 23rd, 2024, following the collapse of the traffic light coalition government. Chancellor Scholz will face a confidence vote on December 16th; if he fails, the President will formally dissolve parliament.
- What are some of the challenges posed by the chosen election date?
- The chosen election date is not ideal due to school holidays in Saxony and proximity to holidays in Saarland. However, the Bundeswahlleiterin considers the date feasible, and absentee voting is available.
- Will any state-level elections occur before the Bundestag election?
- Before the new Bundestag election, there will be no state elections. Hamburg's Bürgerschaftswahl will take place a week later on March 2nd, which is a point of political maneuvering between SPD and Union.
- How will the Bundestag function in the period leading up to the election?
- The Bundestag will continue its normal work until its dissolution. However, the Union plans to limit its legislative activity before the confidence vote, while the SPD advocates for maintaining the parliament's functionality.
- Which parties negotiated the election date, and what were their initial preferences?
- The agreement on the February 23rd election date was reached after negotiations between the SPD, Union, and Greens. While the SPD preferred a later date due to lagging poll numbers, the Union favored an earlier date. A compromise was ultimately reached.