Day one of the new government: Germany’s first traffic light coalition is in place. The SPD, Greens and FDP have elected Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as the new Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. Numerous media companies, especially in Europe, of course, report in detail, sometimes with live tickers, about the end of the Merkel era and the swearing-in of her successor. Internationally, the question arises: Who is this Olaf Scholz and what is he up to? The reactions and evaluations are very different.
France:
The French newspaper Le Monde sees Olaf Scholz as a “reassuring German chancellor”. The left-liberal newspaper praises the equal representation of the cabinet: “As a staunch feminist, Olaf Scholz will take over the leadership of a government that will for the first time consist of an equal number of men and women.” Le Parisien quotes the French economics and finance minister Bruno Le Maire as saying that Scholz is a “very stable man who knows his files in detail”. The financial newspaper Les echoes Foresees: “Both the health situation in Germany and the international tensions will not allow Olaf Scholz any status of grace.”
Norway:
Scandinavia regularly leads the international rankings for climate protection. Norway’s leading newspaper Aftenposten from Oslo focuses primarily on the climate goals of the new Scholz government. She attests that the Ampel-Coalition not only has an “ambitious program of renewal” when it comes to the coal phase-out. The new government is pursuing “ambitious goals in the production of renewable energy”.
Switzerland:
the The New Zurich Times, which in the past few years has also increasingly tried to address conservative reader groups in Germany, has accompanied Scholz’s election intensively in its reporting. Now she predicts: “With all future turbulence, Scholz will do what he has been doing successfully for many years: point out that with him you get what you ordered, leadership, leadership, assertiveness If you manage above, the storm turns into a tail wind, even if it blows in your face. “
Spain:
The country’s largest circulation newspaper, El País, analyzes: “The decisive impetus for public recognition came with the pandemic.” Scholz had known how to react, he “took out the checkbook in good time – the bazooka, as he called it”. He has helped millions of companies and freelancers affected by the crisis. El Mundo on the other hand, criticizing the new German chancellor does not spare: “He personifies continuity, but that which, together with the lack of charisma and with moderation, causes boredom.” Scholz is “not Willy Brandt”. He does not arouse passions. “His tone of voice is monotonous, his body language is very poor and his speech is too dense.”
Czech Republic:
Lidove noviny, a conservative newspaper that has been published since 1893, writes: “Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz has big plans for his new government. The focus is on the transition to a green economy and on digitization. But ultimately the ability to act will change of the cabinet in situations that no one had expected before. “
UNITED STATES:
the New York Times Says: “Olaf Scholz intends to turn Germany into a kind of political laboratory to try to repair the bridge between the Social Democrats and the working class; an attempt that parallels President Biden’s political agenda in the United States.”
Middle East:
The news channel Al Jazeera does not report on the swearing-in of Scholz on its Arabic-language website, but does on its English-language website. The editorial team also reports in a prominent place there. With his “down-to-earth no-nonsense style”, Scholz positioned himself as Merkel’s logical successor, writes the Qatar-based media company. Reporter Step Vaessen observed the change of government in Berlin. She speaks of a “historic day for Germany” https://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/. “Scholz,” says Vaessen, “is seen as calm and charismatic. He has promised change.”
South Africa:
The South African news site Independent online, which serves numerous smaller newspapers in the country as a joint website, highlights the similarities between Scholz and his predecessor Merkel. The outgoing Chancellor is leaving “big footsteps” because the majority of Germans are “satisfied with their leadership” https://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/. “Although he comes from a rival party, Scholz has this source of approval Benefit made “it says in the article.