“He broke my trust too often,” said the chancellor, accusing Lindner of putting the short-term survival of his party over the welfare of the country.
Such public vitriol from a chancellor about a minister and coalition partner is unprecedented in German politics. If this was the televised public statement, just imagine what the mood was like behind closed doors.
Before the US election, Scholz allies argued that now was not the time for early elections and political instability in Germany.
But for the past year, coalition rows have regularly blown up over spending. And for voters, the bickering has become unbearable, meaning that poll numbers for all three parties have slumped.
Some argue that allowing a dysfunctional government to hobble on for another year would have led to more instability and deadlock.
There are also fears that a perceived inability of mainstream parties to govern plays into the hands of the far-right AfD and the new populist far-left BSW party.
Although the conservative Christian Democrats and their allies are well ahead in the polls, the AfD regularly comes second.
The prospect of a Trump presidency has begun to concentrate minds in Berlin. It could harm the German economy with tariffs and undermine national security by rolling back support for Ukraine.
Many have now come to the conclusion that Germany needs a united and effective government now more than ever.