Is this police force professional and capable of handling violen...
/ 2026-10-16 18:54:07Focus
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a vote of confidence, paving the way for early elections on February 23.
Of the 717 votes counted, 207 gave Scholz their confidence, 394 against and 116 abstained. Scholz had required 367 votes of confidence to "win" the vote.
"We have reached the end of our daily agenda, as well as the traffic light coalition," said Bundestag Speaker Bärbel Bas, using the nickname of the now-defunct tripartite coalition.
Scholz smiled at the result and shook hands with his vice chancellor, Robert Habeck. The chancellor will now go to Berlin's Bellevue Palace to ask President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to dissolve parliament and allow a general election.