Scholz triggers snap election in Germany

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a confidence vote which will trigger a Federal election on February 23


LATEST POLLS 
Threshold of 5% to win seats

SOCIAL DEMOCRATS SPD 
Olaf Scholz: Hoping for new centre-left coalition
15.7%

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS CDU 
Friedrich Merz: Conservative favourite to be new Chancellor 
32.5%

GREENS
Only environmental party in Europe to have served in government 
12.6%

SAHRA WAGENKNECHT ALLIANCE BSW
5.9%

LINKE
Former East German Communists 
3.2%

Others

FREE DEMOCRATS FDP 
Pro-market former coalition member 
4%

ALTERNATIVE FOR GERMANY AfD 
Far-right populists 
18%   


BUNDESTAG BREAKDOWN

First-past-the-post constituency seats
299

Total 630 seats     
                          
Seats allocated by proportion of national vote. For each party, constituency seats deducted from total to maintain proportions
                                

KEY ISSUES

UKRAINE 	CDU, CSU, Greens, FDP: Help against Russian invasion
 		SPD: Cautious, favours diplomacy
 		AfD, BSW: End military aid, improve relations with Russia
 
ECONOMY 	CDU: Open to moderate reform of debt brake on public spending
 		SPD: €100bn off-budget fund to encourage private investment
 		AfD: Leave EU, reintroduce Deutsche Mark
 
MIGRATION 	CDU: Limits on family reunification and naturalization of refugees
 		Greens: Simplify family reunification, improve integration
 		AfD: Close borders, end family reunification for asylum seekers
 
ENERGY 		CDU: Expand renewables, restore nuclear power
 		SPD, Greens: State subsidies to expand renewables, lower costs
 		AfD: End renewables subsidies, return to nuclear power and coal
 

Sources: Federal Ministry of Interior, Reuters, FT 
Pictures: Getty Images 
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