Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz Meet for Confidential Talk
The relationship between the two is considered tense, and now, according to information from SPIEGEL, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and CDU leader Friedrich Merz met for a discussion at the Chancellery on Friday. Both sides have not disclosed the content of the confidential discussion. The meeting in the morning lasted about an hour, according to sources from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
Merz has repeatedly criticized in the past that there has been no exchange on important political issues with the Chancellor. Merz has offered to collaborate with the Chancellor multiple times – most recently during his speech in the Bundestag yesterday following the Chancellor’s government statement. At the same time, the opposition leader in the Bundestag criticized that the Chancellor showed no interest in this. The offer is likely also tactically motivated.
Following a meeting at the Chancellery, he learned that Chancellor’s Chief of Staff, Wolfgang Schmidt, was sitting with journalists in the government center at almost the same time. It was rumored to the Union faction leader that Schmidt had pointed out in the group that they did not need Merz and his MPs for the Bundestag votes on migration policy measures at all. It was the low point in the relationship between the Chancellor and the opposition leader.
Meanwhile, the relationship between the two seems to have at least somewhat relaxed – even though Merz continues to sharply attack the Chancellor. This week, both met in the Bundestag. Scholz delivered a government statement on internal and external security. The occasion was also the deadly knife attack in Mannheim. In his speech, Merz demanded a swift and decisive response from Scholz. „The time for warnings and condemnations, for downplaying and announcements, that time is now over,“ he said. „Your government, Mr. Chancellor, must act now. You must get this situation under control.“ This issue likely also played a role in the discussion between Merz and Scholz.