As Germany’s parliament dissolves ahead of the February 23 general election, CGTN’s Trent Murray looks back at the tumultuous last 12 months in Europe’s biggest economy. With the collapse of Olaf Scholz’s three-way traffic light coalition, the scene is set for the return to power of the CDU.
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00:00On the floor of the German Parliament, Chancellor Olaf Scholz faced a confident vote which he had called.
00:08After the collapse of his three-party coalition, a majority of MPs voted to call time on his government,
00:16thrusting the world's third largest economy into snap elections.
00:20Scholz remained defiant in his desire to seek a second term.
00:26We must do something to ensure that jobs are secured,
00:30that new jobs are created, that new economic growth is possible
00:34and that we overcome the challenges facing our economy in the future
00:38so we remain a successful, strong, industrialised country.
00:42But polls show he faces an uphill battle.
00:46His Social Democrat party has consistently sat third in the polls.
00:51Conservative leader Friedrich Merz goes into the election the firm favourite.
00:56Polls indicating his party currently ahead of Scholz's by roughly 15 points.
01:01Scholz lost the trust of the majority of the population long ago.
01:07He's also lost the trust of investors who have been leaving Germany for several years now.
01:12There's also been a significant outflow of capital in Germany.
01:17The country is losing its competitiveness
01:19and that is why we're countering this failed federal government with our own election programme.
01:26But no party is expected to attract more than 50% of the vote.
01:31Coalitions and deal-making very much in the DNA of German politics.
01:36And just like the last government, the Green Party could prove critical in piecing together a coalition.
01:46Our electoral programme draws its strength and power from its ability to tackle the problems of our time,
01:51the major problems of our time.
01:53And here, it must be said clearly, Germany must once again reinvent itself.
01:58But the great unknown of this election is the role the far-right AFD could play.
02:06While many parties have ruled out working with them, they have consistently sat second in the polls.
02:12A spate of terror attacks thrusting their core message of cracking down on illegal immigration
02:18right at the centre of national debate.
02:25I will repeat it once more.
02:27We want something to finally change in our country and for us to finally be able to live in safety again.
02:33We never want to grieve with a mother who has lost her son in such a senseless and brutal way ever again.
02:41It's been noted here that these snap elections have been called at a time when Germany finds itself
02:47right in the middle of several foreign policy challenges.
02:50From the conflict in Ukraine, to fears over a global trade war,
02:55to an unpredictable president back in the White House.
02:59Whoever is victorious in February will likely face a very busy entree when it comes to foreign affairs.
03:08Surveys show the top issues for voters likely to dominate the campaign include immigration,
03:14a lagging economy and climate change.
03:17As Europe's biggest economy, the decision of Germany's voters matters to the broader continent,
03:23with results likely to reverberate across to Brussels and beyond.
03:28Trent Murray, CGTN, Berlin.