German parliament dissolved, next elections to take place in February

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday ordered that parliament be dissolved, meaning new elections will take place in February.

Steinmeier, who has served as president of Germany since 2017, said that this decision was the only way parliament would be able to tackle its problems and stabilize, according to The Associated Press.

The new elections will take place Feb. 23, 2025.

“It is precisely in difficult times like these that stability requires a government capable of taking action and a reliable majority in parliament,” Steinmeier said in a statement. 

This follows the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition. He lost a vote of confidence on Dec. 16 and he now leads a minority government. His three-party coalition collapsed on Nov. 6 when he fired his finance minister in a dispute over what to do about Germany's stagnant economy. 

The post-World War II constitution does not allow the Bundestag to dissolve itself. The decision is up to the president. 

After the parliament is dissolved, the next election has to be held in 60 days.