Germany's Scholz seeks confidence vote as coalition crisis deepens
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans to hold a vote of confidence on December 11, following the collapse of his three-party coalition government. This could lead to early elections on February 23, 2024. The coalition fell apart after Scholz fired Finance Minister Christian Lindner amid disagreements on economic recovery strategies. Germany's economy has been shrinking, and internal disputes over tax and welfare policies contributed to the breakdown. Scholz's Social Democrats will lead a minority government until the vote. The main opposition party, the Christian Democrats, currently leads in polls, while the far-right Alternative for Germany is gaining support, particularly in eastern regions.