Scholz rejects vote of confidence on Wednesday

Scholz rejects vote of confidence on Wednesday RP-ONLINE Berlin. The dispute over the date of the new election is going back and forth. If necessary, the Chancellor wants to decide on his own if no agreement is reached with the CDU and CSU. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will not ask the vote of confidence in the Bundestag this Wednesday, contrary to the Union's demand. His government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit also made it clear that if necessary, the Chancellor would decide on the date on his own if no agreement is reached with the CDU and CSU. If the strongest opposition force is not interested in an agreement, "then the Chancellor must decide and then ask the vote of confidence," he said. Scholz originally wanted to ask the vote of confidence on January 15th in order to bring about a new election of the Bundestag at the end of March. After massive public pressure, he agreed on Sunday to ask the vote of confidence before Christmas. He called on the parliamentary groups in the Bundestag to hold talks about a date and possible joint projects before the election. The Union rejects this and is pushing for a vote of confidence as quickly as possible. "Scholz should not throw any more smokescreens now, but should quickly ask the vote of confidence," said First Parliamentary Secretary Thorsten Frei (CDU) to "Bild". But it will certainly not happen on Wednesday. Hebestreit said: "I can reassure you that the Chancellor will not ask the vote of confidence on Wednesday."