From understanding to a brake pad: This is how the world looks at Chancellor Olaf Scholz

politics

Internally, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is often criticized. coalition partners, opposition, media representatives, Company – everyone has something to complain about the hesitant chancellor.

But how is Scholz perceived on the international stage? Watson has checked the foreign coverage of the Chancellor for you.

Great Britain: Weight of History

At least the news channel BBC shows understanding for the Chancellor’s hesitant approach. After all, the particular gravity of the Story. The turning point proclaimed by Scholz is a break with Berlin’s previous reluctance.

A break that, according to the BBC, the allies are also demanding: Germany should take the lead. With regard to the lengthy tank debate on the supply of Leopard 2 main battle tanks and the Chancellor’s hesitation, the BBC points to another problem. Germany feels responsible for the slaughter of the Russian army in World War I and World War II.

Olaf Scholz with former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.Credit: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

“The Guardians“In his hesitation, Scholz takes credit for the fact that Germany – unlike England or France – must always look to the east and to the west. In addition, the Chancellor must keep the balance: between German guilt in both world wars, the different sensitivities of the traffic light coalition and the leading role in Europe. With the decision to free the leopards, Scholz has now crossed the Rubicon.

USA: German fear in the chancellery

On the outside they are USA and Germany close together. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a press conference at the end of January that the Germans are still trustworthy allies.

The reason for your doubts: the hesitation in delivering the leopards. Scholz does not show his claim to leadership, says the “Washington Post“. And writes of an idiosyncratic mixture of stubbornness and shyness that the Chancellor displays. Instead of explaining his own thinking, Scholz always quotes the same hackneyed phrases.

Germany, with Scholz at the helm, is hiding behind the United States: For the Washington Post, it is ridiculous that Scholz insisted that the United States deliver the Abrams tanks.

Olaf Scholz (left) and US President Joe Biden.Credit: IMAGO/UPI Photo

Scholz is haunted by German fear. The “Washington Post” assumes that Scholz is more afraid of a nuclear or chemical escalation of the war than other heads of state – and certainly does not want to provoke it himself. Scholz isolates Germany in the western alliance, the newspaper concludes – and he isolates the SPD in the traffic light.

At the same time, it is still difficult for a German chancellor weapons to deliver to a war zone, writes the news group Bloomberg. The reason for this is German history and the mass extermination in World War II.

France: The silent invisible man

The chancellor is struggling, is the conclusion of the magazine “Ecoréseau Business“. They attest to Scholz’s lack of direction. By saying nothing and the many ambiguities, he stirs up general distrust. Silence is his political technique. He was repeatedly overtaken by his ministers with statements – especially by the Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Olaf Scholz and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.Image: dpa / Michael Kappeler

In addition to the great internal silence, Scholz’ diplomacy is also insufficient – and turns against France. IOverall, according to the magazine, Scholz is as warm as the Baltic Sea wind – i.e. a stiff breeze.

Also the newspaper “Le Figaro” attests the chancellor a sober approach – while his foreign minister made clear statements. The common air defense project “Sky Shield” from Germany and other EU states – but not France – was also seen in the republic as a blatant affront to the chancellor.

Switzerland: Know-it-all loner

At the beginning of Olaf Scholz’s chancellorship, the “smurfy” Hamburger was seen primarily as a lucky guy. A series of unforeseen events would have brought the SPD politician to where he is today. This is how the news portal sums it up “watson.ch” together. Yes, and then the war came – and the hesitation of the German head of state was moderately received by the neutral Confederates.

The “daily indicator“is sure: With his hesitant support for the Ukraine have done massive damage to Scholz Germany. Especially with a view to Eastern European partners – and the EU. Scholz is more isolated at EU level than his predecessors. Also because he presented the “know-it-all” in a particularly “intrusive” manner.

Spain: Cuddling with dictators

The Spanish newspaper “El País“is tough on Scholz: He stands in a tradition of German leaders who love doing business with dictators, according to an opinion piece. The title of the article from last November says a lot: “Can this man trust?”

The visit to Beijing made the Spaniards angry. After Russia throw Germany now China to the neck. The turning point proclaimed by Scholz must also be taken seriously when dealing with autocracies.

Hungary: tolerance and freezing cold

Scholz is in Hungary said to be tolerant. Especially compared to his traffic light coalition. Because the joint coalition agreement, as the “Budapest newspaper” is in many parts the opposite of Hungarian politics. Differences of opinion are emerging in the areas of migration, family and gender politics. Just as with questions of a federal Europe.

The relationship between Olaf Scholz (right) and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán is tense.Image: IMAGO/photothek / imago images

Nevertheless, Scholz in particular is not perceived as instructive. Overall, however, the newspaper summarizes it “Nepszava” Together, relations between Hungary and Germany are icy.

Poland: Olaf Scholz is a brake pad

The “Gazeta Wyborcza“Is certain: Ukrainian blood is on Scholz’s hands. Above all, the chancellor stole time with his hesitant attitude on the subject of arms deliveries to Ukraine. Scholz’s tactics may make sense domestically, the newspaper writes, but not for Ukraine. The Polish newspaper also shows little understanding for politicians who are still insisting on a peaceful solution after all the war crimes committed by Russia.

“Berlin always wants to be second,” says the news portal “OK Press“. The lack of flexibility is to be criticized. The conclusion: With Scholz’s political style, Germany cannot fulfill its claim to leadership. What Scholz and Berlin but could be is a mainstay of Europe.

China: An ally on the horizon?

The fact that Scholz traveled to China immediately after Xi Jinping’s re-election despite massive criticism is well received by the Chinese leadership. Wang Peng from the Institute of Governance at Huazhong University told the “China Daily“That Scholz’s visit comes at a time when the US was using the Ukraine war to politically manipulate and exploit Europe. The fact that Scholz came despite all the criticism shows that Germany and China have a close connection.

However, China is less enthusiastic about an opinion piece that Olaf Scholz published in the journal “Foreign affairs” has published. It is about the turning point worldwide, about system competition and about better cooperation between democracies.

Olaf Scholz (left) at a meeting with his Chinese colleague Xi Jinping.Image: dpa Pool / Kay Nietfeld

In the article, Scholz called for dialogue to go beyond the democratic comfort zone. In China, the more intensive cooperation between democracies worldwide is viewed as an affront. Because China feels left out: Democratic countries thus placed themselves above other systems, and diplomacy on an equal footing was not possible in this way.