After decades of relative stability, the country has entered a new era of political fragmentation and will hold new elections at a precarious time.

The decision follows a budget fight that prompted Chancellor Olaf Scholz to fire his finance minister and announce a confidence vote that is widely expected to fail.

Today, our Berlin correspondent explains why the EU’s biggest economy is heading for an early election, and we report on the political chaos around the final European commissioner hearings. Context: Scholz unravelled his coalition last week,

Parties agree 23 February vote after chancellor torpedoed the coalition government by sacking finance minister.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats and opposition lawmakers reached an agreement to hold an early election in February, according to government officials familiar with the talks.

Germany is set to hold fresh elections on February 23, eleven weeks after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition, with sources on Tuesday saying the Social Democrats, Greens and conservatives had reached a compromise on timing.

The ball is now in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's court after political party leaders in Germany agreed to hold early parliamentary elections on February 23. Here are the next steps: \- Scholz puts forward a motion in the Bundestag for a vote of confidence in his government – in the expectation that it fails as he no longer holds a majority.