The last Bundestag gathering before the elections in Germany turned into a sharp political clash between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and opposition leader Friedrich Merzem (CDU). The dispute afraid key topics specified as migration policy, the economy and the attitude towards the far right. In the background, there was besides the question of the future coalition and the fresh form of the German parliament.
One of the most inflammatory topics of the debate was migration policy. Olaf Scholz harshly criticized Friedrich Merz, accusing him that his proposals for migration could jeopardise European integration. The Chancellor stressed that the CDU policy deviates from the legacy of the erstwhile leaders of this party, specified as Konrad Adenauer, Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel. In addition, Scholz warned that the CDU is increasingly relying on supporting the far-right AfD, which could lead to major changes on the German political scene.
He pointed out that 1 of the main goals of the election on February 23 should be to prevent the CDU/CSU coalition from being afD, colloquially called "black-blue" (from the colours of both groups). Friedrich Merz denied these accusations, ensuring that he does not plan to enter into a coalition with AfD, and his goal is to cooperate with the centre parties after the election to block the influences of both the far right and the left.
Controversy around the CDU is not accidental – in late January the Bundestag adopted a resolution concerning the tightening of migration policy, which the chadecia pushed through thanks to the voices of the AfD. This event sparked strong reactions from German public opinion, and Scholz utilized them as an argument against Merz.
The CDU leader took the chance to settle Scholz's government over the last 3 years. According to Merz, SPD and Green policies have led to serious economical problems: Merz accused the Chancellor of not seeing reality and leading Germany towards an economical crisis. He besides criticised the implementation of Scholz's safety policy return (‘Zeitenwende’), claiming that German defence changes were moving besides slowly.
This year's election to the Bundestag will be exceptional, as the fresh electoral order will limit the number of deputies to 630. By comparison, in 2021 the parliament counted as many as 736 MPs. This is the consequence of the improvement of the governing coalition (SPD, Greens and FDP), which aims to improve the work of the Bundestag. The first gathering of the fresh parliament will take place no later than 30 days after the election.
According to the polls, the CDU and SPD are inactive the main competitors in the election. The CDU is at the head of the polls, with a consequence of about 30%, while the SPD reaches about 20%. another parties, specified as the Greens, the FDP and the AfD, have less chances of winning. The final result of the elections may depend on a number of factors, including the coalition that will emergence after the elections.
W Germany's elections are free and secret and citizens have the right to participate. Anyone who reaches 18 and is simply a German citizen can vote. Elections are compulsory for men, but women can besides vote if they want. Voting takes place on election day and the results are announced immediately after the closing of the polling stations.
W Germany's elections are crucial due to the fact that they find the direction in which the country will go in the future. Elections are an chance for citizens to change the government and influence national policy. Anyone who votes has an impact on Germany's future.
