German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote Monday, setting the stage for parliamentary elections next year. A majority of Germany's 733 lawmakers said they no longer have confidence in the center-left chancellor's leadership.

BERLIN — Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces a confidence vote in the German parliament on Monday that he's expected to lose, paving the way for the European Union's most populous member and biggest economy to hold an early election in February.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had hoped for this outcome when he called for the confidence vote, analysts say. His aim: to win fresh elections in February and come back with a stronger mandate.