Angela Merkel turned her back on her party and gave the Social Democrats a boost by congratulating her former minister, Olaf Scholz

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave Social Democrat Olaf Scholz a boost on Wednesday by congratulating him on his legislative victory, while it seems more and more likely a alliance between the center-left, the Greens and the Liberals.

The Chancellor, who is about to to retire from politics after 16 years in power, He spoke for the first time since the historic defeat of his formation on Sunday, in a brief statement.

Congratulated Olaf Scholz, leader of the center-left and vice-chancellor of the outgoing government, “for his success” in the legislative elections, during which the The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is slightly ahead of the conservative CDU / CSU union, with 25.7% of the votes.

These congratulations have been sent Monday, the day after the elections, said his press service.

This Wednesday Armin Laschet also congratulated him, according to anonymous sources from his party. But Laschet still wants to form a government, with the support of the Liberals and the Greens.

Under pressure

Since the elections, critics are rising in the ranks of the conservatives for their leader’s stubbornness in wanting to lead a coalition, despite the fact that the center-right obtained only 24.1% of the vote, remaining in second place and with a drop of almost 9 points compared to 2017.

Merkel distanced herself on Wednesday, a day after the unpopular Laschet was already more or less abandoned by his Bavarian allies.

“Olaf Scholz has a better chance of being chancellor right now, clearly”declared its leader Markus Söder. But Laschet, a native of the Rhineland known for his tenacity, does not want to give in.

Tuesday, during a meeting of his parliamentary group, apologized for the disappointing election result, but at the same time reaffirmed that “no one has the right to declare himself the big winner”, according to several German media.

More and more observers They doubt it can last much longer.

“I don’t think Armin Laschet will survive this week”, said the vice president of the FDP, Wolfgang Kubicki. “The pressure is increasing,” he said.

For its part, the social democrats reiterated their call to quickly form a coalition with the Greens and the FDP, which obtained 14.8% and 11.5% of the votes respectively.

The two formations “should be cautious enough to accept our offer to start exploratory discussions quickly” with a view to an alliance.Rolf Mützenich, re-elected head of the SPD parliamentary group, said on Wednesday.

Overcome the differences

The leaders of the The Greens and the FDP, those who will have the most influence in forming a government, met on Tuesday for the first time since the elections to identify possible points of agreement, with a view to negotiating later with the CDU or, more likely, with the SPD.

The meeting was immortalized by a selfie, posted on Instagram, of the four participants, the co-leaders of environmentalists Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock, the leader of the FDP Christian Linder and its secretary general Volker Wissing.

The message seems clear: they feel capable of “overcoming their differences”, particularly in budgetary and fiscal matters.

The Liberals oppose any reinstatement of the wealth tax defended by the Greens, but also by the SPD.

This first official contact will be followed by another extended meeting on Friday, announced the two small parties. And on Sunday first negotiations, both with the conservative union and the SPD.

The Liberals try not to reveal their preferences, although they are ideologically closer to the center right

Opposite of Annalena baerbock. “We have received a clear contract for the renewal of our country,” he said on Wednesday, explaining that the Greens therefore gave priority “first” to talks with the FDP and the SPD.

(Isabelle Le Page – AFP)

Read on: