Germany's Scholz loses confidence vote

Uncertainty looms over economy as snap elections to follow in February

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote on Monday, paving the way for an early election in February.

The crisis adds to the woes of the faltering German economy, casting uncertainties over a country that has long been regarded as the stabilizing anchor of the European Union, experts say.

Scholz received support from 207 lawmakers in the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, while 394 voted against him and 116 abstained. Scholz, expecting to lose, requested the confidence vote last week, invoking Article 68 of the Basic Law.