Olaf Scholz, the current German Chancellor, speaks to the media in his hometown of Potsdam ahead of the general election on February 23, 2025. (Photo: DW)

This marks the country’s fourth early federal election to elect 630 members of the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), triggered by the collapse of the ruling coalition in November 2024 after prolonged budget disputes, leading to the dissolution of parliament on December 27, 2024.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time and will close at 6 p.m. the same day. Voters also have the option to cast their ballots by mail, but for postal votes to be counted, they must arrive before polling stations close.

Exit polls began in the morning, with vote counting set to commence immediately after polls close. While preliminary results will provide an early indication of the outcome, the final official results are expected to be announced early on February 24 (local time).