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Fried: The Politics Column
Friendships are an exception in politics – but sometimes something else is enough
Friendships in politics are rather rare. But there are surprising exceptions
© Illustration: Sebastian König/Stern; Photo: Henning Kretschmer/Stern
Nico Fried reflects on friendships in his column this week, friendships between politicians. Can this work?
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck chatted some time ago about the inner workings of the cabinet. “There’s not only good personal understanding, but real personal appreciation,” the Green Economics Minister reported, “almost one Friendship.” Uh, yes, that’s exactly the impression one got last time, when ministerial letters to the public were punctured, disputes had to be settled by the chancellor and the government otherwise gave the impression that it was high time that they can avoid each other during the summer break.
In politics there is a friendly relationship
“Almost” a friendship. Habeck will have known why he exercised caution. Real friendships are exceptions in politics – the further up, the rarer. Today’s friend can be tomorrow’s enemy. Friedrich Merz and Markus Söder would never speak of a personal friendship, although they are now very thick politically. Merz put it this way during a joint appearance with Söder: “Neither of us belong to our closest circle of friends. But I would say, Markus, yes: we are friends in the cooperation in the CDU and the CSU.” In such cases one likes to speak of a friendly relationship. That’s a political term. You harmonize in public, but reserve the opportunity to gossip about the other backstage. Of course, this does not only apply to Merz and Söder.
Interestingly, personal friendships seem to develop more easily in foreign policy. In May 2002, the then US President George W. Bush announced in the garden of the Chancellery that he wanted to come back after his term in office, visit Berlin and perhaps go fishing with “Görhard” Schröder. Ah wait, that’s not a good example. Bush never returned to Berlin after his term in office, and Schröder eloped with Vladimir Putin. Angela Merkel, who was even allowed to visit Bush at his ranch in Crawford and was greeted with the words: “In Texas, when you invite someone home, it’s an expression of warmth and respect,” now has Barack Obama as a friend.
Sometimes respect is enough
The last real friendship at the highest level of German politics was probably that between Peter Struck and Volker Kauder. After 2005, the two leaders of the SPD and Union factions knew that it would be up to them if the grand coalition were to succeed. From an inevitable friendly relationship (see above) something personal actually developed over the years.
Sometimes something like this happens between people where you would never have thought it possible: Angela Merkel and Sigmar Gabriel have learned to like each other over the years, even if friendship is too big a word. Both have a similar sense of humor. Gabriel twice managed to lure Merkel to his hometown of Goslar, once as chancellor and once as ex-chancellor. The second time she even visited him at home. And when you invite someone home in Goslar, that’s also a sign of warmth.
Finally, there are politicians who have been through endless things with and sometimes against each other for decades and yet never become friends. Just like Wolfgang Schäuble and Angela Merkel. But they had one thing for each other: respect. If you could say the same about the current cabinet, a lot would have been achieved.