taz: Mr. Federal President, you are in the SPD and an honorary citizen of the cities of Helsinki, Sibiu, Kalamata, Oulu and Reims. You also have an honorary doctorate not only from the University of Piraeus.
Frank Walter Steinmeier: Yes, as a doctor of law, I and my wife Elke Büdenbender, who is also a lawyer, can only confirm this. And now we are here in my castle and in my office. This one in Bellevue is a nice room. Here is my seating area and here is my desk.
Yes, I see it, and we are sitting here together in this seating area. Who was sitting in this set in front of us?
Yesterday Christian Lindner from the former governing party FDP was there, so how should I put it, it was different than usual.
To what extent?
Otherwise Christian Lindner always takes a selfie with himself and my standard. This is this large square flag on which our federal eagle can be seen against a gold-colored background with a red border. It always shows where I am at the moment. If I may explain briefly, if you allow me, my protocol will include the standard when me and my wife Elke Büdenbender go on a trip. We travel a lot all over the world, and we like to do so. The standard always comes along.
Asked again, Mr. Federal President: What was different this time with Christian Lindner?
Well, he is no longer Christian Lindner, but just Federal Minister of Finance. Excuse me, no, I correct myself. He is now no longer Federal Finance Minister, but only FDP, i.e. only Christian Lindner and no one else and nothing else. Just him alone.
Interesting. Did you give him something to say goodbye?
Yes, an official exit document out of the traffic lights and into the middle of traffic, if you allow me this little joke. (coughs) This little joke just on the side and with Transport Minister Wissing. This aperçu after turbulent hours, even days, near and far, with the world and the nation. You certainly know that there were also events in the USA, not just in political Berlin.
Yes, what do you think of Mr. Trump, Mr. Federal President?
(Narrows his eyes) We are on the diplomatic stage here. You see, here in my beautiful room, in my office here, in this beautiful Bellevue Palace, so the parquet here is ‘American Walnut Country Favorite’. Do you actually know that I financed my studies by installing bar compartments in walnut cabinets in a furniture factory?
No, I didn’t know that.
I won’t say anything more about it. I think the American walnut parquet is beautiful. By the way, the same goes for Vladimir Putin, but that takes us too far into the past, so we’re left with the current situation, which comes with mileage…
Mr. Federal President, we don’t have much time left for this conversation, because we have just received information that today, i.e. on Friday, you will temporarily move your official residence to the Federal Chancellery because another one of your “local times” is coming up, where you will have your Move standards to other parts of the country and carry out your official business from there. Is that right?
I don’t know anything about this yet, but wait, here’s my calendar… (He goes to a drawer) Can you still have some pastries in the meantime?
Thank you, delicious.
Correct. (He sits down again with a tear-off calendar) The Chancellor is in Budapest on Friday. The thermal baths and the themes there are magnificent, a brilliant force. Hopefully Mr. Scholz recovers well in the Hungarian capital! There is still a lot ahead of him, just as there is a lot behind him, including this traffic light. But that was also a story.
Mr. Federal President, the truth thanks you for the insightful conversation.
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