Monday, 11 November
Preparations underway in Berlin as new election timelines discussed
Last Wednesday evening it was announced that the traffic light coalition, made up of SPD, Greens and FDP, officially collapsed after almost three years in office, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner. New elections will take place in just a few months, presenting an enormous challenge for Berlin.
Federal Election Commissioner Ruth Brand and her state counterparts are meeting today to discuss potential dates for new elections, amid growing pressure from the CDU for an accelerated timeline. Following the collapse of the coalition government, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has proposed a confidence vote in January, with elections likely in March if he does not secure a majority.
CDU leaders, however, urge an earlier date, suggesting Scholz call the vote next week, potentially leading to elections as soon as January. Scholz has indicated willingness to act before Christmas if parties agree, but officials have voiced logistical concerns.
Brand warned that January elections would strain resources due to the holiday season, impacting tasks such as arranging polling stations, recruiting volunteers and preparing the election documents. They will also require 30,000 election workers who will need to be trained. Berlin’s election chief Stephan Bröchler echoed these concerns, stating that rushing the preparations could jeopardise the election.
“I can only advise people to approach the issue cautiously, to listen to experts and not to rush into setting the election date,” Bröchler said in an interview with the German Press Agency.
