Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he is ready to hold confidence vote this year

Germany’s embattled Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday he would be ready to ask for a confidence vote this year to pave the way for snap elections.

Scholz, whose coalition collapsed on Wednesday, said in a TV interview that “for me it would not be a problem” to ask for the parliamentary vote before Christmas, if major parties agree. Previously, he had spoken of a mid-January vote and a late-March election.

“I also want that it happens quickly,” the centre-left leader said, referring to a return to the ballot boxes, in an interview on public broadcaster ARD.