In an interview with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the CDU party leader Friedrich Merz is harsh on the court, declaring Robert Habeck to be a “substantial sonny boy” and calling for a new relief system in which he himself would no longer receive any euros from the state.
FOCUS online: Mr. Merz, when you were asked about the clichés that prevail about you after your election as party leader, you said you would surprise your critics. Do you think you succeeded?
Friedrich Merz: In any case, I have a management style that is different from what was said about me. And I address more topics than I’ve been told. Today we are firmly in first place among the German parties, albeit at a level that I am not yet satisfied with.
Despite this, you are always behind in all rankings of the most popular politicians. In the Politbarometer you even land behind Christian Lindner. Why is that?
Friedrich Merz: Politics is not a beauty contest. I want to move our party forward. And we’re on the right track there.
Does it upset you that the Germans don’t like you?
Friedrich Merz: Is that so? Germans traditionally have a critical opinion of politicians. There was a nice headline in the “Bild” newspaper: “The most popular Germans: All dead”. Look at Helmut Schmidt, for example. He became more and more popular the longer his tenure passed.
People hang almost on Robert Habeck’s every word.
Friedrich Merz: These are moments like at Parship.de. There’s a brief rush when a sunny boy enters the political arena. We’ve had that in our ranks before.
The sunny boy Habeck has bad news and is still popular.
Friedrich Merz: He takes us with him on his journey and we can watch him think every day. This is very interesting for a part of the population. At the end of the day substance and results count. Robert Habeck can quickly become a man standing alone in the rain.
Robert Habeck has no substance?
Friedrich Merz: He announces a lot and maintains a communication style that is obviously well received by many. He celebrates his doubts, which many in the population also have. This is communicatively clever, but the results are missing.
You address the Chancellor’s mistakes almost every day. Do you think it’s possible that the traffic light won’t last the full four years?
Friedrich Merz: An elected chancellor sits pretty firmly in the saddle in our system. But after the unspeakable incident with Palestinian President Abbas in the chancellery, I thought for the first time: This chancellorship could go really wrong.
Olaf Scholz not only damaged himself as a person, but also the office of Chancellor. What kind of image is that in the world that we are making with this Federal Chancellor? On my trips abroad – whether in Kyiv, Warsaw or Vilnius – I keep hearing considerable criticism, especially of the SPD part of this federal government.
But you benefit from it.
Friedrich Merz: I don’t take pleasure in such a weakness in an incumbent, detached from the person, in terms of party politics.
The government has been debating a third relief package for weeks. By when does the traffic light have to deliver?
Friedrich Merz: As soon as possible. The traffic light reliefs so far have been characterized by dispute and the lowest common denominator, not by principles based on specific standards.
what would be your suggestion
Friedrich Merz: More focus, less watering can. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is a beautiful song, I know it from Borussia Dortmund in the stadium. But such a promise leads to wrong and socially unjust politics. It’s just wrong that people with a high income get 300 euros in energy money. 1000 euros energy money for the incomes in the lower third would make more sense than 300 euros for everyone.
I also don’t understand why big companies get financial support per se, but small ones don’t. There must be clear criteria here as to who is entitled to what. But it is also a fact that the state cannot help everyone.
Wouldn’t that mean some bankruptcies and job losses?
Friedrich Merz: In this crisis we will see companies that don’t make it. And we cannot promise to balance everything out of the federal budget.
Suppose you were Chancellor tomorrow. What would you do first?
Friedrich Merz: Regardless of the Chancellor, German politicians must define who they consider to be in need of help in this crisis. Which households are we looking at? What are the charges? What is the disposable income? And what’s left at the end of the day? The following must apply: the higher the income, the lower the aid.
And after a certain income no more help at all?
Friedrich Merz: Thank God there are still enough private households and companies in our country that are not dependent on state aid in this crisis.
The energy money is taxed. You have a lot less left over than someone on a low income.
Friedrich Merz: I still have around 150 euros left after taxes. I would be happier if lower income earners got more compensation.
According to the plans of the traffic light, more people should now receive housing benefit. Christian Lindner says that nobody should be ashamed to claim the solidarity of the state. Now working people are supposed to be recipients of social assistance. Is this the right way?
Friedrich Merz: That’s not how I understood the Federal Minister of Finance.
People who go to the office and receive money receive some form of social assistance.
Friedrich Merz: If there are more people who have such a low income that they cannot shoulder the price increases on their own, the state must help.
Did the traffic light make a mistake with the gas allocation?
Friedrich Merz: Yes, the gas allocation in this form was a mistake. For example, despite our advice, the traffic light did not find it necessary to clarify whether VAT had to be charged on the apportionment.
After all, the VAT on gas was reduced to seven percent.
Friedrich Merz: Then the gas surcharge could have been paid in full from the federal budget. By the way, the question: did Olaf Scholz actually ask the prime ministers of the federal states about this? After all, half of this tax cut has to be paid for from the state budgets.
In response to the fear of high energy prices, traffic lights are now giving savings tips: Robert Habeck takes shorter showers, the Chancellor still takes daily showers, Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann recommends washcloths. What does it say about the state of the country that these issues are now being seriously discussed?
Friedrich Merz: That shows the level at which we are moving. My contribution: I have a solar thermal system on the roof. As long as the sun is shining, I can take a warm shower without using a single cubic meter of gas. I like to invite the federal cabinet to my house to take a shower.
And who can come?
Friedrich Merz: Anyone from the federal government who brings a towel.
