German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier officially dissolved the country’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, on Friday, setting the stage for a general election on February 23.

“I have decided to dissolve the 20th German Bundestag to fix the date for an early election,” Steinmeier announced during a speech, emphasizing the importance of maintaining political stability in Germany.

The decision follows Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s loss of a vote of confidence in the legislature on December 16. Leaders of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) agreed on the election date.

Challenging Path Ahead for Scholz

Recent opinion polls show Friedrich Merz's CDU leading the SPD by about 10 percentage points, signaling a challenging re-election bid for Scholz. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has been polling strongly, has nominated Alice Weidel as its candidate for chancellor. However, with all major parties refusing to work with the AfD, Weidel's chances of securing the role remain slim.

Key Issues Facing Germany

The upcoming election will center on pressing national and global issues, including immigration, revitalizing the economy, and supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. President Steinmeier highlighted the magnitude of these challenges, citing the “economically unstable situation,” ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and debates surrounding immigration and climate change.

Steinmeier urged all parties and voters to uphold democratic values during the campaign. “Hatred and violence must have no place in this election campaign, nor denigration or intimidation... all this is poison for democracy,” he stressed.

The early election marks a critical juncture for Germany, with the next government tasked with addressing both domestic concerns and its role in an increasingly unstable global landscape.