Friedrich Merz, the chair of the former chancellor Angela Merkel's party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stands to profit most from the bombshell developments in Berlin, one day after Donald Trump's election as US president upended the global political landscape.
In a hastily called news conference on Wednesday night after firing his finance minister - the leader of the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), Christian Lindner - Scholz had laid out a roadmap, including a formal confidence vote in January that would lead to a snap election, probably in March.
But yesterday morning, Merz, who is in a strong position to become the country's next leader, rejected the plans, saying there was "absolutely no reason" to wait until January.
The opposition leader said his parliamentary group agreed unanimously that Scholz should schedule the confidence vote by next week "at the latest", after which the country's president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, would have 21 days to dissolve the Bundestag lower house of parliament. That would probably lead to a snap election in late January.
Merz said those three weeks could be used to determine whether there was common ground between his CDU and the remaining parties, Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, to tackle pressing issues including the next federal budget. He later held a 25-minute meeting with Scholz about the path forward, which was described as "fruitless".
This story is from the November 08, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 08, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely
The first thing to do is read the small print (it could be very small if it is squeezed on the back).
'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back
M&S menswear, above, is starting to compete for style with specialist rivals while the company's menswear has successfully caught the attention of younger buyers
Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft
A fraudulent phone contract has been taken out in my husband's name and he is now threatened with court action.
New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?
Going freelance is not without risk but if you want to shed the shackles of your 9-5, then Suzanne Bearne can help you plan it properly
Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints
It has been both astonishing and appalling in equal measure,\" says Jonathan Hattersley, 66, from Cambridgeshire.
Biden Blocks Japanese Firm's $15bn Bid for US Steel Over Security Fears
Joe Biden blocked a $14.9bn (£12bn) bid by Japan's Nippon Steel for US Steel yesterday, citing concerns the deal could hurt national security and following through on a pledge to keep the company domestically owned as he prepares to depart the White House.
We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now
Denys, a soldier with Ukraine's Khyzhak brigade, describes a new kind of war. Standing in a barracks workshop with piles of basic Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones behind him, he says: \"There are fewer gunfights because there are more drone fights.\" Frontlines that were once a gunshot apart are now a killing zone several miles deep as Russian and Ukrainian drone squads hidden behind the frontlines target each other's forces with aerial attacks. \"Back in 2022, we were still running around with machine guns from the tree lines,\" Denys says, almost with nostalgia.
Profits at GB News owner's hedge fund plunge 64%
Profits at the hedge fund co-founded by the GB News and Spectator owner Sir Paul Marshall plunged by almost two-thirds last year, resulting in significantly reduced payouts for its partners.
Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales
Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable.
Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m
Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has declared £322m in assets, including a collection of 217 designer handbags and 75 luxury watches in submissions on her wealth to a government body.
