In Germany, the government led by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz categorically rejected this Monday (10) the possibility of calling new early national elections after the poor result obtained by the coalition partners – Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals – in this year’s European elections. Sunday (9), which marked an advance on the right on the European continent.
At a regular press conference, German Executive spokesman Steffen Hebestreit stated that “at no time, not for a second, was the idea raised that new elections could now be called in Germany.”
Hebestreit added that the regular call to the polls will be in autumn next year and that is what the government intends to enforce.
In this sense, he highlighted that the current government coalition is “a four-year project” and that at the end of this period the accounts will be done and voters will once again have their say.
Hebestreit also assured that the government is doing everything possible to “implement the important pending decisions”, as can be seen in the “series of measures that have been taken in recent weeks and months”.
The spokesperson recalled that the current legislature, led by Scholz, began in a pandemic, which was “followed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, the consequences of which, he said, “kept Germany very busy”.
Finally, Hebestreit stressed that Chancellor Scholz is convinced that the current coalition is applying “good policies and making the right decisions” and “everything must be done now so that this is reflected in the next general elections in 15 and a half months, so voters see exactly the same.”
For his part, the general secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Kevin Kühnert, assured that the party intends to maintain its course within the government and added that, with the result of the European elections, there was no order for new elections for the Bundestag, the German Parliament.
The leader of the liberals, Christian Lindner, highlighted that there is a joint government program and a coalition agreement, and as long as there is commitment on the part of the parties that make up it there is no reason to question it, although she demanded that the alliance parties “take the message of the European elections seriously”.
Finally, the co-president of the Greens, Omid Nouripour, highlighted that there is no need to vote on a motion of confidence against the government and recalled that the coalition agreement is valid for four years.
The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which emerged as the country’s second political force in this Sunday’s European Parliament elections, called on Chancellor Scholz on Monday to “follow the example” of French President Emmanuel Macron , and call early elections.
“In reality, Scholz should follow the example, the excellent example of Emmanuel Macron, and prepare the way for new elections,” said Alice Weidel, co-leader of the right-wing party, at a press conference in Berlin.
This Sunday, the AfD won six more seats than the nine it already had and became the second force in Germany, with 15.9% of the votes, behind only the Christian Democrats and surpassing the current chancellor’s Social Democrats.
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