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The Week in Germany: Politics June 10, 2005 Plan to seek early elections still on, says Schroeder German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has rejected calls to resign, instead vowing to stick to his plan to call a parliamentary vote of confidence on July 1 in a move that could set the stage for general elections in September.
"I will in due course put forward a motion according to Article 68 of the Basic Law so that a vote can take place on July 1, 2005," Schroeder said Thursday in a statement, referring to the part of the German constitution that outlines procedures for confidence votes. Schroeder stunned Germans last month by announcing that he would seek federal elections this September — a year ahead of schedule — after his center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) lost a key regional vote. Since then, however, the constitutional complexities of bringing forward elections have led some members of the conservative opposition to call on Schroeder to step down, clearing the way for a new SPD leader to serve out the party's mandate before facing a conservative challenger in elections next year. Speaking to reporters after meeting with German President Horst Koehler on Thursday, Schroeder sought to put to rest rumors of his resignation, saying: "I have sworn an oath of office. That commitment gives me a special responsibility." Schroeder's planned confidence vote still faces several legal hurdles, however. If the government loses the planned vote, as it intends to do, it is up to the German President to determine whether parliament should be dissolved and new elections called. President Koehler, who was elected with the support of the opposition conservatives, is said to be working feverishly to determine the constitutionality of the planned vote — but has not yet said whether he would dissolve parliament. For his part, Schroeder has said that his government will be unable to pursue its reformist policies without a renewed mandate from German voters. "I am fully convinced that the course of reform politics agreed by me and my government is the right way to modernize our country, maintain its prosperity and to guarantee enduring social security and participation," he said Thursday. Current opinions poll suggest Schroeder's SPD would lose the planned vote to the conservative Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, who have together nominated Angela Merkel as their candidate for Chancellor. A Forsa poll published Wednesday found support for the conservatives at 49% against 28% for the SPD. Links:
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