German minister calls for quick elections after coalition collapse

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck is urging Chancellor Olaf Scholz to hold new elections quickly after the collapse of the ruling coalition. Habeck emphasized the need for caution to avoid constitutional issues while discussing the election timeline. Scholz recently dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner, leading to a minority government. He proposed moving the election date from September to late March, but opposition leader Friedrich Merz is pushing for elections as early as January. Public support for earlier elections is strong, with 54% favoring a vote before March. Scholz is open to discussions on the election schedule, but concerns about adequate preparation time for a fair vote have been raised by election officials.