Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced the dissolution of the Bundestag and set an early general election for February 23, following Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s loss of a confidence vote on December 16.

Opinion polls show the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leading by 10 points over Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) also gaining support, though unlikely to form a government.

Key issues in the election include immigration, economic stability, and support for Ukraine. Steinmeier emphasized the importance of a fair campaign free from hatred and violence, the DW has reported.

Written by B.C. Begley