As if he had never done anything else …
Olaf Scholz (63, SPD) is clearly delighted: at the summit of the “Big 20” industrialized and emerging countries (G20) in Rome, he is relaxed between the heads of state and government.
A casual chat with Italy’s host Prime Minister Mario Draghi (74). Casual strolling to Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (49) – in the breaks around the huge conference oval of the powerful, that distinctive smile does not want to leave Scholz’s face, which has been called “smurfy” since a bon mot by CSU chief Markus Söder (54) .
Together in Rome: Angela Merkel (CDU), Executive Chancellor, and Olaf Scholz (SPD), Federal Minister of Finance and candidate for ChancellorPhoto: Oliver Weiken / dpa
The reason: While the other finance ministers sit behind their bosses together with nameless advisors at the summit’s cat tables, Chancellor Angela Merkel (67, CDU) demonstratively takes her likely successor into high-level one-to-one talks with other heads of state.
Pictures that are worth gold in gold for Scholz at home and in the world: Look here, this is the new strong man from Germany, is the message. Get used to it. A gift that a coalition agreement, election and swearing-in in the Bundestag stand between the grin and real power.
In the G20 family photo, Merkel shines alone with her canary yellow blazer between dark suits for Germany. At the important meetings with US President Joe Biden (78), French President Emmanuel Macron (43) and Boris Johnson (57), Scholz sits in the small adjoining room at the “La Nuvola” conference center.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Joe Biden pose for a picturePhoto: Getty Images
It is more than a nice gesture from the Chancellor. Merkel wants continuity. If their legacy will not be carried on by the Union after the Bundestag election in Germany, Germany should at least continue on its course on the world stage with some degree of break. Without long sniffing and training.
And Scholz knows how to use his chance, speaks routinely about the “global answers” that one has to give to “global problems”. He has the G20 agenda on it, from climate protection to world trade and his favorite topic, the global minimum tax for tech giants, to the global vaccination alliance.
And: unlike Merkel, he occasionally changes fluently into English in front of the press. Motto: I am ready!