A political analyst pointed to Scholz's attempt to replicate Macron's actions to maintain power

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has followed the path of French President Emmanuel Macron by deciding to hold early elections to preserve his power, but he will hardly be able to repeat the same scheme. Ruslan Andreev, a political consultant and expert at the Polylog Group, told Izvestia on December 16.

"Scholz is unlikely to pull off Macron's trick: the electoral system is not the same, and the right-wing threat represented by the AdG (Alternative for Germany. - Ed.) is weaker than the opposition of [French National Rally party Marine] Le Pen." [German Defense Minister Boris] Pistorius has already voluntarily declined the nomination in favor of Scholz. "It looks like one of Germany's most unsuccessful chancellors is being prepared for a 'loser's pension' with the full baggage of responsibility for the recession," he said.

In Andreev's assessment, Scholz's trip to Kiev and pledge of continued support for Ukraine failed to gain electoral traction in Germany, while his likely successor from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, made the same mistake.

At the moment, both politicians are measuring populist statements on the topic of refusing to supply Taurus missiles to Kiev and, accordingly, the expulsion of Syrians who do not work to their homeland, the expert added.

At the same time, the political scientist pointed out that the candidacy of the next chancellor is not so important, as Berlin is not independent in foreign policy, and the elected U.S. President Donald Trump will move Europe towards peace.

As noted in turn political scientist-Germanist, candidate of historical sciences Evgenia Pimenova, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier after the vote of no confidence in the Scholz government should set the date of early elections and, most likely, they will be held at the end of February. Thus, Olaf Scholz may remain in power in a minority government for another two and a half months.

Earlier in the day, the Bundestag revoked the confidence of the Scholz government. In a vote on the request, which the chancellor sent on December 11, less than a third of deputies voted in favor of Scholz. He has since suggested that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolve the Bundestag, which would require calling early elections.

Scholz announced plans to raise the issue of a vote of confidence in the government in the Bundestag in early November. Steinmeier then endorsed February 23, 2025, as a possible date for early parliamentary elections. The leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) unanimously nominated Scholz. According to the assessment of political scientist-Germanist Eugenia Pimenova, Merz is the most likely contender to succeed him.

In turn, Macron in June also announced the dissolution of the National Assembly (the lower house of the French parliament) and the holding of early elections. The New Popular Front (NFP), a coalition of left-wing parties, won the elections.