Germany’s popular defense minister has taken himself out of contention to become the country’s next leader, clearing the way for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to seek

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was set to run for a second term in upcoming snap elections after his popular Defence Minister Boris Pistorius - a possible replacement - ruled himself out of the running on Thursday.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he won’t compete to lead the Social Democratic Party into an early federal election in February and threw his support behind Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s reelection bid.

While Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets world leaders in Brazil, a discussion is swirling in his party at home about whether he should seek a second term as German leader in an early election expected in February.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be formally nominated to run for a second term at a meeting of the Social Democrats (SPD) on Monday, party co-leader Lars Klingbeil said. "We want to go into the next election campaign with Olaf Scholz,

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was under growing pressure Tuesday to step aside as the top candidate of his Social Democrats (SPD) for snap polls in February, as the party heads for a historic drubbing.

Boris Pistorius has ruled himself out as the next leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD), clearing the path for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to take the embattled party into snap elections.

Increasing numbers in his own center-left party say he should, arguing for a more charismatic leader who might better their electoral chances.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told members of the ruling Social Democrats that he would not run as chancellor candidate for the party in February's snap election, clearing the way for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to run for a second term.