German Opposition Leader Claims Top EU Politicians Are Avoiding Scholz
According to his CDU rival, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s approach to European policy has been “a total failure.” Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Friedrich Merz has criticized the chancellor's approach to European policy, describing it as “a total failure.” According to Merz, who leads the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and intends to run for chancellor in the upcoming election, EU leaders are increasingly avoiding German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He argues that Scholz either remains silent or attempts to lecture his peers.
In his MerzMail newsletter released on Sunday, Merz asserted that Scholz's handling of EU affairs has left him politically isolated within the bloc. He emphasized, “Regrettably, it should be said so: the majority of European politicians simply do not want to meet anymore the German Chancellor, who either sits silent for hours or lectures the world.”
Merz pointed out a recent instance of Scholz's diplomatic isolation: French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Poland, where he and other NATO leaders discussed Ukraine-related policies without the German Chancellor’s presence. “The German Chancellor was not present again,” he noted.
Additionally, Merz highlighted that Scholz received an invitation to the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral earlier this month, an event attended by Macron, US President-elect Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, yet, “he apparently had no desire to travel to Paris.”
He warned that Scholz’s government displays “the demonstrative lack of interest” in EU policy, stating that it harms Germany and poses an increasing barrier to relations with neighboring countries.
As Germany faces the possibility of a snap election early next year due to the crumbling of the ruling ‘traffic light’ coalition among Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, the Free Democratic Party, and the Greens, numerous reports suggest that the election could occur as soon as February 23, contingent on the outcome of a confidence vote facing Scholz’s minority cabinet.
Merz has advocated for a firmer stance against Moscow, asserting that if he becomes elected, he would permit Ukraine to utilize German arms for offensive strikes deep into Russian territory. Despite being the second-largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the United States under Scholz’s administration, the chancellor has consistently dismissed the delivery of long-range Taurus missiles, cautioning, “Be careful! You do not play Russian roulette with Germany’s security.”
Following Ukraine’s use of US-made ATACMS missiles to target Russian-held territories for the first time in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by stating that Moscow reserves the right “to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow the use of their weapons against our facilities.”
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
In his MerzMail newsletter released on Sunday, Merz asserted that Scholz's handling of EU affairs has left him politically isolated within the bloc. He emphasized, “Regrettably, it should be said so: the majority of European politicians simply do not want to meet anymore the German Chancellor, who either sits silent for hours or lectures the world.”
Merz pointed out a recent instance of Scholz's diplomatic isolation: French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Poland, where he and other NATO leaders discussed Ukraine-related policies without the German Chancellor’s presence. “The German Chancellor was not present again,” he noted.
Additionally, Merz highlighted that Scholz received an invitation to the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral earlier this month, an event attended by Macron, US President-elect Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, yet, “he apparently had no desire to travel to Paris.”
He warned that Scholz’s government displays “the demonstrative lack of interest” in EU policy, stating that it harms Germany and poses an increasing barrier to relations with neighboring countries.
As Germany faces the possibility of a snap election early next year due to the crumbling of the ruling ‘traffic light’ coalition among Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, the Free Democratic Party, and the Greens, numerous reports suggest that the election could occur as soon as February 23, contingent on the outcome of a confidence vote facing Scholz’s minority cabinet.
Merz has advocated for a firmer stance against Moscow, asserting that if he becomes elected, he would permit Ukraine to utilize German arms for offensive strikes deep into Russian territory. Despite being the second-largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the United States under Scholz’s administration, the chancellor has consistently dismissed the delivery of long-range Taurus missiles, cautioning, “Be careful! You do not play Russian roulette with Germany’s security.”
Following Ukraine’s use of US-made ATACMS missiles to target Russian-held territories for the first time in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by stating that Moscow reserves the right “to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow the use of their weapons against our facilities.”
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
