After this turbulent year, a little calm is also returning to politics. What Scholz, Linder, Habeck and Co. do at Christmas – and a gift tip from Bavaria.
The last law for this year has been passed, the last speech has been given. When the lights go out in the Bundestag, the first politicians are probably already standing under the Christmas tree – or in the kitchen. Like Federal Construction Minister Klara Geywitz: “Regardless of whether the year was turbulent or not turbulent, I turn off my cell phones at Christmas, make potato salad with sausages and sit at the table with my children and eat it.”
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing thinks the cuisine is more varied. He grew up near the French border, so he always has a mix of German and French dishes.
Every year, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus democratically votes with her family on what they will have for Christmas. Things aren’t quite so democratic everywhere for CDU leader Friedrich Merz: he doesn’t let anyone talk about the Christmas tree – for him it’s part of the “main German culture”.
Ice hockey and skiing
The left-wing politician Dietmar Bartsch first has to recover from this year. He was recently leader of the parliamentary group in the Bundestag – now there is no longer a left-wing parliamentary group. Just hanging around isn’t his thing either. For him, Christmas is the opportunity to go to the Eisbären Berlin and watch ice hockey: “For example, they play on Boxing Day and I will definitely be there.”
Sport seems to be a trend. SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert is even taking action himself. He spends “Christmas in peace and the days after on the ski slopes”.
Others are more traditional. The Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, for example: “We’ll go to Schwerin Cathedral. And then we’ll go to the island of Hiddensee in the traditional way. It’s so peaceful there, you can really spend the whole year there Leave a few days behind you and recharge your batteries for the new.”
Christmas presents from Söder
Now would be the opportunity to take a break for a few days. But not everyone leaves. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner apparently doesn’t need that: “We’re celebrating with the family in Berlin, this is the center of our lives. And I’m looking forward to spending time with family and friends.”
CSU boss Markus Söder probably won’t celebrate with Lindner. But he did have a gift idea: the new Porsche catalog. “I think that’s what he’s into.”
In Markus Lanz’s show, Söder was recently asked to think about a Christmas present for Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck. He suggested “a video cassette with Hubert Aiwanger’s 100 best speeches.”
Would the recipients be happy about what Markus Söder wanted to put under their Christmas tree?
Scholz is going on vacation
It remains to be seen whether Habeck would be happy about the films with the Bavarian Deputy Prime Minister. At Christmas he feels more like “laughing, talking, listening to music and cooking with the family”.
And Olaf Scholz? Having just recovered from Corona, the Chancellor is also looking forward to a few quiet days, says government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit: “He will go on vacation, he will travel with his wife and will also be back in Berlin in time for the New Year’s speech.” But he doesn’t want to say where Scholz is going – so that he can enjoy his vacation undisturbed.
Leon Vucemilovic, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, December 21, 2023 4:00 p.m