On Friday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved parliament and announced the anticipated date of February 23 for an early general election following the recent collapse of Olaf Scholz’s government. Disagreements within Scholz’s coalition regarding the revival of Europe’s largest economy led to its downfall, and a tragic car-ramming incident at a Christmas market last week has intensified discussions in the country about security and immigration. While confirming the election date, Steinmeier emphasized the importance of political stability and called for a respectful and decent campaign. A 50-year-old Saudi doctor, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, was arrested at the scene of the attack in Magdeburg, which resulted in five deaths and over 200 injuries. Interior Minister Nancy Fraser noted that Abdulmohsen held Islamophobic beliefs, but his exact motive is still uncertain. In response to the attack, Scholz urged Germans to unite and reject hatred in their society. The conservative CDU/CSU party, led by Friedrich Merz, is currently leading the polls at around 32 percent and had already expressed intentions to adopt a stricter stance on immigration and shift rightward on social and economic issues, even before the attack. Steinmeier reiterated his desire for a fair and transparent campaign, highlighting the risks of foreign interference. He stated, “Hatred and violence must have no place in this election campaign, nor denigration or intimidation… all this is poison for democracy.”
