Scholz premiere at the summit: not glamorous, but also not a false start


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Status: December 17, 2021 9:14 am

Chancellor Scholz caused little stir at his EU summit premiere. But that was anything but a false start, says Helga Schmidt. Scholz achieved something where his predecessor Merkel failed.

A comment by Helga Schmidt, ARD Studio Brussels

Farewell to Angela Merkel had sparked fantasies weeks ago in Brussels. Who do you think would take their leadership role in the European Union? There was endless speculation about it, in think tanks and at journalists’ round tables.

Many people bet on Emmanuel Macron, the French President – and he probably still believes that he is the most confident. But there were also insider tips. Mario Draghi, for example, the Italian who brought his country safely and successfully through the deepest crises, was trusted to do something on a European level too.

And Olaf Scholz? It caused little attention at its summit premiere, acted cautiously, answered questions in front of the cameras either very briefly or not at all. A cautious serve is not a false start – on the contrary. Anyone who comes to Brussels as Chancellor from Berlin is already representing by far the strongest country in Europe, so understatement in the Brussels Council building is exactly what the partners appreciate.

Success that shouldn’t be underestimated

It was also a smart move that Scholz did not go to the microphones alone at his final press conference that night, but appeared side by side with Macron. You can rely on the Franco-German duo, that should be the message – even if the two have not come any closer in the dispute over the renaissance of atomic energy.

In return, both were able to present a success that should not be underestimated. Macron and Scholz have managed to secure the support of all 25 other heads of state and government for their plan to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin again. They should seek a diplomatic way out of the spiral of escalation in the Ukraine conflict while maintaining the threat of severe sanctions. Whether this will succeed is completely open – nevertheless this is progress because the Kremlin strategy, which aims to divide Europeans, has failed for the time being.

Just solid

At the last Merkel summit, things looked different. Then the Chancellor failed with the proposal to invite the Russian President to talk. This time the initiative was better prepared and the goals were formulated more realistically, so that in the end the Eastern Europeans were able to agree. No dissenters this time, no veto from anyone.

EU summits have already failed because of minor problems. So maybe not a glamorous premiere for the new Federal Chancellor, but one on which something can be built. Just solid.

Editor’s note

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