German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved parliament on Friday and confirmed the expected date for the early general election prompted by the collapse of Olaf Scholz’s government last month.
Scholz’s coalition was brought down by internal fights over how to revive Europe’s largest economy, but a deadly car-ramming attack at a Christmas market last week has renewed the country’s heated debates over security and immigration.
Confirming the February 23 date for the election, Steinmeier emphasised a need for “political stability” and appealed for the campaign to be “conducted with respect and decency”.
He also said he wanted “the campaign to be conducted with fair and transparent means” and warned of the dangers of “foreign influence… which is particularly intense on X,” the social media platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk.
“Hatred and violence must have no place in this election campaign, nor denigration or intimidation… all this is poison for democracy,” Steinmeier said.
He also reminded political parties and voters of the challenges the next government will face given the “economically unstable situation… the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine” as well as debates over immigration and climate change.
Scholz will remain in office as a caretaker chancellor until a new government is formed, which could take several months.
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