Germany’s “traffic light crisis”

Germany is to hold snap elections next February after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling “traffic light” coalition between the SPD, Free Democratic Party and Green Party

                          
Nov 2023: Constitutional Court hands down bombshell ruling that Scholz’s (above centre) “Climate and Transformation Fund” is unlawful and contrary to German Constitution, blowing €60 billion hole in federal budget

2024: Approval ratings of Scholz’s ruling alliance drop to record lows. SPD crash to their worst-ever result in European Parliament elections, falling to third place behind far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)

Nov 1: Finance minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner (above left) publishes Germany’s economic turnaround. 18-page paper conflicts with position of Scholz’s coalition

Nov 6: Scholz fires Lindner – coalition collapses

Nov 7: Majority of Germans (57%) say Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (above right) should replace Scholz to lead the SPD at snap elections. Just 13% favour Scholz, according to poll by Forsa opinion research*

Nov 8: Economy Minister Robert Habeck (right) announces he wants to lead Green Party for post of chancellor

Nov 13: CDU/CSU alliance leader Friedrich Merz (below) launches election bid, calling Scholz “lightweight”

Dec 11: Scholz to officially announce vote of confidence in Bundestag (main picture)

Dec 16: Vote of confidence – if Scholz loses, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will dissolve parliament and call elections

Feb 23, 2025 election: Germany is mired in period of stagnation amid damaging trade war with China and Europe
                             

*Survey of 1,181 Germans. Margin of error: +/- 3 percentage points


Sources: Bloomberg, CNN, Politico, Reuters 
Pictures: Getty Images 
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