SPD veteran Müntefering appears on Markus Lanz's show. - Schröder mishap, Scholz no-no!
During a discussion with former Vice-Chancellor Franz Müntefering (84, SPD), Markus Lanz (55) brought up the topic of Germany's current political situation. Müntefering criticized his old friend Gerhard Schröder (80) by saying, "Drive me crazy!" contrastingly, he had kind words for current Chancellor Olaf Scholz (65, SPD), with the compliment, "Very prudent!"
In this candid conversation, Gerhart Baum (91, FDP) also joined, emphasizing the phrase, "A lot of wood can be cut from old oaks!"
Commencing Discussion
Addressing a photo of the three leaders of the traffic light coalition, Müntefering commented, "This is the most complicated government we've ever had," referring to Scholz. "If he strikes the table in the middle Schröder-style, it'll be broken by the end of the day!"
For the SPD veteran's reassurance, he added, "Olaf Scholz is very prudent, and he's confident in his actions. That's a vital quality for a politician."
Balance of Praise and Criticism
"Scholz works his way through it," Müntefering continued to praise the traffic light chancellor, recognizing his strength. "I can't imagine another person, someone rushing things, could handle this three-party coalition at all. If we had someone like that, they'd slam into a wall!"
With only one criticism, Müntefering pointed out the flaw in the coalition agreement, considering it a "crucial mistake." He maintained, "It shouldn't say 'There's a problem, we'll solve it in this way and that way.' Rather, it should read, 'There's a problem, we'll solve it. How, it doesn't matter.' "
However, Baum dissented, requesting, "The FDP must not desert the flag." He explained, "The FDP isn't reaching some of the liberal-minded folks. It's difficult to govern today. But we could've been governed better!"
The Change in Perspective
Müntefering shared that he is no longer in contact with Schröder. When addressing the FDP's lack of response to former SPD chairmen after Putin's invasion of Ukraine, he expressed his disappointment, stating, "I'm frustrated because later he (Schröder) edited his statement, saying, 'Putin, the war is a mistake.' That just drives me up the wall!"
Müntefering added, "Mistakes are a tactical matter, but a war isn't a tactical issue. This is a serious crime – a first-class crime, in fact."
Finally, he expressed his dampened willingness to maintain friendships.
Reflecting Upon the Past
"He wasn't bad at all as chancellor," Müntefering reminisced. "We worked well together in the past. But he strayed from the path."
Baum, conversing with Müntefering, seemed quite decisive, asserting, "He's lost his compass. We must take a stand in a situation like this."
Addressing the efforts to negotiate with Putin, Baum also stated, "We must not think we can contain this with a freeze or ceasefire. There's a war criminal at large."
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Source: symclub.org
