Germany poised to hold snap election on 23 February

Germany is expected to hold a snap election on 23 February after an agreement reached on Tuesday morning by parliamentary factions from the leading Social Democrats and opposition conservatives.

The date must be officially confirmed by the president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, but this is considered to be a formality.

The date, once confirmed, would bring clarity after days of infighting and speculation after the collapse of the German government last week.

The government fell after the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democrats, fired his finance minister, Christian Lindner, of the pro-business FDP in a months-long row over how to fill a multibillion euro hole in the national budget.

Scholz is due to address parliament on Wednesday. He is expected to imminently announce the date of a vote of confidence in the government, which his coalition is expected to lose, paving the way for the elections. The confidence vote could take place on 18 December.

More details soon …