Germany’s head of state started the countdown to a general election on Friday by dissolving the country’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.
“I have decided to dissolve the 20th German Bundestag to fix the date for an early election for February 23,” said President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, adding that “political stability in Germany is a precious asset.”
Steinmeier’s decision follows a request to do so after Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence in the legislature on December 16.
