Press review
As of: 25.11.2021 12:36 p.m.
The coalition agreement is received differently in the international press: while Spain’s largest newspaper expects “Europeanism without complexes”, the US media assume “continuity” – there is mistrust of Scholz in the Ukraine.
The American “Wall Street Journal” attests the Ampel-Coalition timidity and writes: “A stricter tone would be a modest improvement compared to Merkel. If all that sounds like a lack of ambition, that’s because it is so. The Germans voted as if they wanted a government which sits out important disputes about the economic or strategic direction of the country. The voters’ wish became Scholz’s coalition. “
the “New York Times” on the other hand, expects closer cooperation with Washington: “Mr Scholz’s Germany could prove to be more willing to stand up for European integration and to join ranks with the United States in order to put pressure on China and Russia. But that The catchphrase was continuity. “
The British “Times” on the other hand, he expects: “Olaf Scholz will not be squeamish about Great Britain. The coalition agreement expressly contains a provision to maintain the Northern Ireland Protocol. Boris Johnson could encounter a tougher stance in Berlin than Angela Merkel’s weary indulgence. Scholz has experience, a liberal agenda and high popularity ratings. Germany and its neighbors can look forward to a lively four years. “
Coalition “gets lost in the undergrowth”
The Spanish daily newspaper “El País” reads a focus on European politics from the coalition agreement: “Olaf Scholz’s Germany is moving away from the image of a sullen member of the European club that it had in the worst years of the euro crisis. Without turning away from its traditional fiscal orthodoxy, the group of three broadcasts which is preparing to take over the reins of the leading power of the continent, a sign of greater openness and a Europeanism without complexes. In the document presented this Wednesday by the Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals, the word Europe appears 254 times compared to the 144 times in which Germany is mentioned. […] The treaty signed by the three parties does not represent a revolution. But it signals a stronger focus on Europe – including changes to the treaties, which should result in a federation of European states. “
The Belgian newspaper “De Standaard” even expects historical changes: “According to the negotiators, the priorities that this new team wants to set are not the sum of the party positions, but a heavily discussed vision of how Germany can be green, social and liberal at the same time. It will be an exciting experiment: For the first time in post-war history, Germany will be governed by a tripartite alliance made up of politicians who want to make a clear break with the past. “
“La Repubblica” from Italy is also assuming a new beginning – and uses a metaphor: “The major crises accelerate historical-political processes: After Angela Merkel’s long term in office, a social democrat is returning to the head of a German government. The dramatic spread the pandemic has functioned as labor forceps to force the parties of the nascent coalition into a feverish search for an agreement on their program. […] The initiatives to combat the spread of the pandemic, which has reached dramatic proportions in Germany, will of course represent the most important test for the new government, also because they affect the delicate balance of the German federal system: primarily the relationship between the federal government and the states. “
The formulates a strong change “The New Zurich Times” strong doubts from Switzerland. “The coalitionists recognize the pressing problems in the country, but on the way to solving them they get lost again and again in the undergrowth,” she stated. “That may be due to ideological differences or the lack of courage to drill the really thick boards. Before that, the outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel had already avoided for 16 years. Maintaining power was her quiet motto, to which everything else was subordinated. Should it be the SPD, If the Greens and the FDP are similar, the repeated mantra of new beginnings and progress would be just talk. […] The interaction between the different partners is surprisingly quiet. However, harmony seems to have come at the price of compromises that benefit the alliance rather than the country. “
Moscow does not want to “jump to conclusions”
“It follows from the contract that Berlin is ready for a constructive dialogue with Moscow and also wants to allow Russian citizens up to 25 years of age to enter the country without a visa” – the Russian newspaper says “Kommersant” a corresponding paragraph on Russia policy. Regarding Moscow’s expectations of Berlin: “The likely new Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has not only appeared once with critical remarks to Moscow, but the state structures of the Russian Federation are called on not to jump to conclusions. It It should be noted that the Chancellor has always personally steered German politics in relation to Russia.Overall, the part devoted to relations with Russia is characterized by constructiveness: the authors of the agreement speak more of possibilities for cooperation than of differences of opinion. The sensitive issue of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline will be left out, which will give the new government more leeway in negotiations with Russia and the USA. “
The Ukrainian “Ukrainska Pravda” calls the change of power in Berlin “probably the most important political event of the year on the European continent”. Since Merkel has not found a “worthy successor”, a coalition of three parties “that have never come together: the Left (SPD), the Liberals (FDP) and the Greens,” writes the online news portal. “This trinity has a lot in common in its programs, but there is also no lack of differences – not least in terms of foreign policy. It is even more important that Merkel’s successor, the head of the new government, will be Social Democrat Olaf Scholz. And in Ukraine he will remain In view of the cooperation of the former SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schröder with Putin and Gazprom, Social Democrats returned a particularly serious suspicion … All this led to cautious expectations of the policy of the new German government, but the reality was different, very positive. […] In both the current and the last coalition agreement, our state has its own small block dedicated to it. “