Scholz eyes re-election despite his party's setback in early Bundestag vote

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains a strong contender to retain his position even if his Social Democratic Party (SPD) loses in the upcoming Bundestag early elections.

In a recent interview, Scholz estimated his chances of re-election at 60%. "I would say 60%," Scholz told Der Spiegel, when asked about his likelihood of staying on as Chancellor, Caliber.Az reports.

However, he acknowledged that many voters are still undecided about their choices. While he refrained from commenting on potential future coalition scenarios, he emphasized that these were just speculative ideas and not something to be taken seriously.

According to a recent poll by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 38% of voters in Germany have yet to decide which party to support. Despite this uncertainty, Scholz's path to re-election is still plausible. One potential scenario would see a coalition formed between the SPD, the Greens, Sarah Wagenknecht's Union for Reason and Justice (BSW), and the Left Party (LP), provided the LP and BSW cross the 5% threshold to enter the Bundestag. If this happens, such a left-wing coalition would become a feasible governing alliance.

While Scholz has not entirely dismissed the idea of collaborating with Wagenknecht's party, he has stated he finds it difficult to envision such a partnership. However, it could prove challenging for BSW and the Greens to reach an agreement.

The early parliamentary elections in Germany are scheduled for February 23, with Scholz representing the SPD in his bid for re-election as Chancellor. His main rival is Friedrich Merz from the conservative CDU/CSU bloc.

Robert Habeck, the vice-chancellor and head of the German Economy Ministry, is running from the Greens, while Alice Weidel leads the Alternative for Germany. As of now, polls show the CDU/CSU at 29-31%, the SPD at 15-17%, Alternative for Germany at 19-22%, and the Greens at 11-14%.

By Tamilla Hasanova