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.

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.

After public bickering between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the opposition, he and the Christian Democratic leader have settled on a new date for a confidence vote. Potential ensuing snap elections would force a new governing coalition,