German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolves parliament, calls early election for February 23 after Scholz's coalition falls apart

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued an order on Friday to dissolve the Parliament and scheduled a new date for the election which is on February 23, following the breakdown of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition. After dismissing his finance minister during a disagreement about economic revival strategies, Scholz's contentious three-party coalition fell apart on November 6. In the 733-seat Bundestag, Scholz secured only 207 votes in his favour, with 394 voting against him and 116 abstaining, far short of the 367 votes needed for a majority. Subsequently, he lost a confidence vote on December 16 and now heads a minority government, AP reported.Several prominent party leaders reached a consensus to conduct parliamentary elections on February 23, which is seven months ahead of the initial schedule.The German constitution established after World War II does not permit the Bundestag to dissolve itself. Therefore, the responsibility fell to Steinmeier, who had a 21-day window to decide on parliament's dissolution. Following dissolution, elections must occur within 60 days.Tesla CEO and US' Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk and Vice-President elect JD Vance supported the far-right German party Alternative for Deutschland (AfD). Elon Musk's endorsement of AfD on X sparked widespread condemnation from German political leaders and Jewish organisations worldwide. His claim that "Only the AfD can save Germany" and subsequent assertion that "AfD is the only hope for Germany" drew criticism for supporting a party known for its controversial use of Nazi-era rhetoric and discriminatory stance towards immigrants and Muslims.JD Vance expressed his indirect support for AfD through sarcastic remarks on X. Responding to concerns about the party's policies, he wrote: "It's so dangerous for people to control their borders. So so dangerous. The dangerous level is off the charts." His comments appeared to defend AfD's restrictive immigration policies.