In Germany, Olaf Scholz nominated as candidate for his own succession, despite his unpopularity

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, was designated, Monday, November 25, as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to form the next government following the early legislative elections of February 23, despite his popularity at its lowest. and the implosion of the outgoing coalition.

The leadership of the center-left party has spoken out “unanimously” in his favor, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing a source close to the party. Delegates must still validate his candidacy during a congress on January 11, 2025.

The outgoing chancellor, aged 66, who said he was a candidate for his own succession after the breakdown of the coalition with the Greens and the Liberals on November 6, subsequently had to face a revolt within the SPD , where some had spoken out in favor of the very popular Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, but the latter gave up on Thursday to enter the race for the chancellorship.

The SPD now intends to unite behind Olaf Scholz, even if the bet looks risky for the oldest party in Germany, credited with around 15% of voting intentions. The conservatives of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their Bavarian allies (CSU) received 33% and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, 18%.

Olaf Scholz, « visage » of the failure of a government marked by perpetual differences, is “probably the weakest, least suitable candidate for chancellor that the SPD has ever presented”judges the magazine The mirror. His coalition, in power since the end of 2021, was shattered after the dismissal of the Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), due to disagreements that had become insurmountable in terms of budgetary policy, in the midst of industrial crisis in Europe's largest economy.

Imperturbable, the one who is nicknamed “Scholzomat” because of his monotone and his endless sentences, says he is convinced of being able to lead his party to victory again. He readily recalls how, in 2021, he won the elections against all odds. He then benefited greatly from the divisions in the conservative camp.

“Chancellor of Peace”

His strategy this time: present himself as the man of restraint in the military support granted to Ukraine, in the hope of capitalizing on the pacifism very anchored among the Germans since the Second World War and a significant pro-Russian current.

According to a recent study by public television ARD, 61% of those questioned approve of its refusal to provide Ukraine with Taurus missiles which could allow it to strike Russian territory in depth, while the United States, France and Russia Great Britain gave him their approval to use theirs for this purpose. Olaf Scholz's recent telephone interview with Vladimir Putin has also raised eyebrows, particularly in kyiv.

In Germany, the conservative opposition accuses him of having contributed to the “propaganda” from Moscow to carry out an electoral maneuver aimed at presenting himself as “chancellor of peace” before dangerous elections. In conservative ranks, the chancellor's candidacy was greeted with relief. The decision “is good for us. Pistorius would have been more unpleasant for the CDU and CSU”underlined MP Mathias Middelberg.

Olaf Scholz, a political veteran who was notably mayor of Hamburg (Bord) and vice-chancellor with the finance portfolio in Angela Merkel's last government (2005-2021), has however demonstrated on several occasions his ability to thwart the predictions. In 2021, he won by presenting himself as the true heir of the conservative chancellor. This time he also intends to reassure through his experience, in a tormented global geopolitical context plunged into the unknown by the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States.

The outgoing chancellor is “really very, very experienced, he has more than one trick up his sleeve, including at international level”party president Saskia Esken stressed on Monday on Bavarian radio.