Refusal of confidence – premature re-elections in Germany
In the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, the so-called question of confidence has been posed five times since the German Constitution came into force in 1949. In only two cases (Helmut Schmidt in 1982 and Gerhard Schröder in 2001) did this prevail. In the three other cases (Willy Brandt in 1972, Helmut Kohl in 1982 and Gerhard Schröder in 2005) the Federal Chancellor has been denied confidence and the German Parliament as a result was dissolved.
