Olaf Scholz, Germany's least popular chancellor on record, is facing growing calls within his Social Democrats (SPD) to step aside and let his Defence Minister Boris Pistorius instead lead the centre-left party into next year's federal election.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz launched his election bid with a stinging attack on Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling the Social Democrat a “lightweight” and accusing him of sowing division in Europe’s biggest economy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he'll hold a vote of confidence in parliament next month ahead of election next year

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said he is "very happy" about the agreement reached by the country's main political parties to hold early elections on February 23. Speaking in the German parliament in Berlin,

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that he will ask for a vote of confidence on Dec. 16, paving the way forward for an early parliamentary election in February

A political crisis persists in Germany. On 16 December, the Bundestag will vote on a confidence motion for Olaf Scholz's government. On Wednesday, the German Chancellor announced that he would formally request the Bundestag to vote on his government’s motion of confidence on 11 December.

A political crisis continues in Germany. On December 16, the Bundestag will vote on a confidence motion for Olaf Scholz's government. On Wednesday, the German Chancellor announced that he would officially request the Bundestag to vote on his government’s confidence motion on December 11.

Mr Scholz declared his plans for the vote of confidence one week after his three-party coalition government collapsed.