Rolf Mützenich is a polite, controlled man, but these days he seems touched. The attacks against him in the dispute over the supply of main battle tanks have left their mark. The personal exchange of blows between him and the FDP defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann is also dangerous for Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). Because the injuries could still become a burden for the alliance. The initial traffic light oath to resolve disputes and differences internally did not hold up. And the Chancellor had to watch.
More than 30 years ago, Mützenich wrote his doctorate at the University of Bremen on “Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones and International Politics” and always believed in the power of diplomacy and peace politics. For a long time he thought it was unthinkable that Germany could ever supply battle tanks to Ukraine for use against Russia. He feels that the attacks by the chairmen of the defense committee, Strack-Zimmermann, and some Green politicians, are disrespectful towards him as the parliamentary group leader of the largest governing party.
“Gasping” versus “symbol of all central misconduct”
At the same time, however, he continued to heat up the debate himself with accusations: Some had “gasped breaths,” he also said: “The same people who are calling for going it alone with heavy battle tanks today will be screaming for planes or troops tomorrow.”
In the FDP parliamentary group, they found this accusation of quasi-warmongering aimed at Strack-Zimmermann inaccurate. No one took it amiss that she didn’t react very sympathetically either (“Rolf Mützenich is the symbol of all the central misconduct of German foreign policy”).
In an internal letter to the members of the SPD parliamentary group, Mützenich once again and very generally expressed his annoyance after the tank decision. It’s not without a certain comedy, “when some want to make the public believe that their wild insults contributed to this success,” he writes, referring to the chancellor’s decision and Strack-Zimmermann. “The opposite is the case. The constant cross-shots have done more harm than good and endangered the closely coordinated approach.”
Neither brake Germany nor is it isolated. “Instead of loud noise, perhaps a little more humility and restraint would be appropriate in the future,” warns Mützenich. Diplomatic negotiations took place confidentially, “they are not conducted in the media or with the involvement of alleged experts, who so often appear on talk shows with advice that is not always well intentioned and well thought out”.
The group leader says the behavior would play into Putin’s hands
They just didn’t know the status and content of necessary agreements with the partners – in addition to Germany and Poland, the Leopard-2want to send tanks, US President Joe Biden has given Ukraine 31 abrams– Main battle tank promised. Mützenich believes that behavior would only play into the hands of Vladimir Putin. “Any heckling, which is often only used for self-portrayal, must be misinterpreted in Moscow.”
Such negotiations sometimes take a long time because in times of war and peace it shouldn’t be about the headlines, but about trust, seriousness and relevance. “That’s why I’ve always stood in the way of the unjustified, sometimes hurtful allegations.” The last details of the agreement should have been agreed in the parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday, “especially since the time difference (to the USA) does the rest”.
Strack-Zimmermann’s office manager says about the Mützenich letter via Twitter that he has seldom read so much frustration, but for Mützenich just ends “also a world view”. Overall, however, the liberals no longer want to add fuel to the fire. Group leader Christian Dürr said on Thursday Süddeutsche Zeitung on the dispute: “No one in the coalition took the issue of tank deliveries lightly. I fully understand that emotions sometimes run high, after all it’s about how we can best support Ukraine in the fight against Putin .”
The chancellor is fully behind Mützenich
But now the Chancellor has made a decision and “I would like us to draw a line under this debate”. Strack-Zimmermann himself was also rather tame in the recent government survey of the chancellor and praised his decision to go to Ukraine Leopard-2-Send tanks.
The chancellor, on the other hand, is fully behind Mutzenich, he is a key figure when it comes to keeping the SPD parliamentary group together and forging majorities in a difficult coalition. But Scholz is also careful not to endanger his good relationship with Christian Lindner. That’s why Lars Klingbeil, the head of the SPD, recently took over the public appeal to the head of the FDP to bring his people to moderation.
Nevertheless, Scholz has now, in his own way, expressed his dissatisfaction with the recent arguments. “Maybe today has also helped some to think about what they say in the future,” he said on ZDF. The agenda in other capitals for a decision is not based on “when someone wants to appear on television again”. He hopes that this will now come to an end.