German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) again sharply criticized the FDP and the Union during the introduction of his application for a vote of confidence. “There has been a ‘weekly sabotage of the government by the Free Democrats’ for a long time” he said in the Bundestag on Monday at the start of the debate.
“The truth about this spectacle has now come to light” Scholz said. “This kind of damage not only harms the reputation of a government, but the reputation of democracy as a whole.” “That is the damage this spectacle has caused, and I deeply regret it” Scholz said.
Scholz attributed the failed Ampel coalition to his own efforts to “always bring results and compromises together over three years.” “It took a lot of energy” Scholz said. “And energy was also needed for my decision to end the coalition, because it just couldn’t go on like that.”
However, Scholz did not only criticize the FDP, but also the Union: They plan “pension cuts” the Chancellor said. According to the CDU’s basic program, the retirement age should be linked to life expectancy, and the pension after 45 years of contributions should be abolished. This is “highly unfair” Scholz said. CDU leader Friedrich Merz had recently said that the statutory retirement age of 67 would be maintained.
The vote of confidence will be held this afternoon, and the result is likely to be known by around 4 pm. Scholz had already announced that he would ask Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to dissolve the Bundestag in the event of the expected defeat. The head of state has 21 days to make a decision, after which new elections must be held within 60 days. The date for the election has already been agreed upon as February 23, 2025.