Scholz near Maischberger
“Constantly bring order to quarrels”
By Marko Schlichting
6/29/2023 4:14 am
The Federal Chancellor is a guest at Maischberger. There is plenty to talk about: support for Ukraine, the dispute over the heating law and, last but not least, the question of what the discussions within the federal government have to do with the AfD’s high spirits.
Wednesday evening, ten to eleven in the first. Sandra Maischberger announces a special talk guest for her show this evening: Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The two talk to each other for an hour. You seem relaxed, Maischberger only rarely interrupts the chancellor when he goes too far. Scholz obviously feels good and even makes a few jokes. When Maischberger criticized him for his sometimes somewhat cautious conduct, Scholz countered: “I constantly bring order to all sorts of quarrels.” Scholz responded confidently to criticism of his poor communication: “I’m probably the German head of government who communicates the most.” And on the sidelines this time there is even a little private: he wanted to become a lawyer as a young person, and he did it, says Scholz – and that he has to celebrate his silver anniversary because the SPD party conference is taking place on that day.
Continued support for Ukraine, but…
“I’m glad that we work closely together in the transatlantic alliance,” says Scholz at the very beginning. It’s about the war in Ukraine and further arms deliveries. He can understand people who are skeptical about further arms deliveries to Ukraine or the maintenance of sanctions against Russia. “But I think you have to say very clearly: This is a war that Russia aggressively started. The Russian president wants to conquer all or part of his neighboring country in order to make his empire bigger. And that’s why it’s necessary that we support Ukraine so that it can defend itself.”
Many states have helped Ukraine financially and with weapons, and very quickly, Scholz replies to Maischberger’s critical question as to whether the weapons for the current operation by the Ukrainian army did not come too late. In the future, however, these deliveries could be curbed a bit, it seems. Scholz: “It’s important to me that we don’t make things too easy for ourselves. We have to prepare ourselves internally for the fact that the war can go on for a very long time.” It is wrong to plan arms deliveries as if the war would end in six months. “Otherwise it may be that at some point we will no longer be able to make our contribution.”
Many decisions bring a lot of friction
After a short question and answer session, we move on to domestic politics. Scholz allows criticism of the communication style of the coalition partners to shine through: “It is the case that, for my understanding, we sometimes communicate very long and loudly to everyone how this is being discussed,” says the Chancellor. But more decisions were made than in previous years. It is important that Germany has a good economic future and that it will soon be possible to operate in a CO2-neutral manner.
In the coming week, the heating law should be passed in the Bundestag. “I think that’s a good law. If we want to live and do business in a CO2-neutral and climate-friendly manner in 2045, we have to make decisions now and make it possible. At the same time, it’s perfectly fine to think with great commitment about how to do that without the citizens being overwhelmed,” said Scholz.
The goals are clearly formulated: by 2030, 80 percent of electricity should come from renewable sources such as solar energy and wind power. Hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plants are to be built on a large scale for the 1930s. By 2045, the final expansion of the power grid should be completed.
Falling approval for the SPD
According to current surveys, the federal government is currently in a low mood, from which the SPD is suffering the most. In contrast, the right-wing populist AFD is on the rise. Scholz sees one reason for this in the discussions in the traffic light coalition: “If a dispute is held publicly for so long, it doesn’t make a good impression.” But you make it “a little bit very easy” if you give the impression that this is the main reason for the AfD’s strengthening. Despite the crises of recent years, Germany is doing well economically. For this, however, the country had to take on high debts, says Scholz. Nevertheless, he is optimistic for the next few years. And his political goal is also clear: “I definitely want the government to be re-elected.”