section_path: Abstract
section_name: Abstract
paragraph_text: On 6 November 2024, Olaf Scholz, the incumbent chancellor of Germany, announced the dismissal of Christian Lindner, the then- finance minister and leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), from his cabinet. This occurred following disputes in the three-party coalition government over the country's economic policies and tensions within the coalition. In response, the FDP moved into the opposition, and the governing coalition collapsed, leaving a two-party minority government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Greens.
  
  On 16 December 2024, Scholz called a vote of confidence in the ruling government, which was lost. As a result, an early 2025 federal election was held, with the parties having agreed on 23 February 2025 as the date. The 23 February date for the election was confirmed by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 27 December 2024.