Three months before elections, Germany's embattled Olaf Scholz kicked off the campaign Saturday by attacking his conservative rival as cold towards the poor but a hothead who would play "Russian roulette" with Moscow.

With less than three months to go until Germany's expected election, Chancellor Olaf Scholz came out swinging on Saturday, vowing to make his troubled Social Democrats (SPD) the strongest force in parliament.

The upcoming early elections to Germany's parliament will mark a crucial decision on the country's direction, Chancellor Olaf Scholz told his Social Democratic Party (SPD) at an election campaign conference on Saturday.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday kicked off his re-election bid and prepared his party for an intensive campaign in his first major speech to around 500 party members in Berlin. The elections in February will be necessary due to the break-up of the governing coalition.

Germany's ruling Social Democrats officially made Chancellor Olaf Scholz their lead candidate on Monday for February's election, billing him as a safe pair of hands compared with the opposition conservatives contender who has no government experience.

The party of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has launched its election campaign promising to reverse its flagging fortunes. Scholz accused one of his former coalition allies of sabotage.