Chancellor on negotiations in the Ukraine war – “coming to peace more quickly”

In the ZDF summer interview, Olaf Scholz touches on many topics. For him, one thing is clear: he will not ask the question of confidence.

Berlin – Despite poor election results and personal lows in the polls, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has refused to put the vote of confidence in the Bundestag. “It’s a small opposition idea to say this word every three weeks,” said Scholz on Sunday in ZDF-Summer interview. “The government has a majority.”

His government will fulfill the tasks that are now at stake, said Scholz. “We have made very far-reaching decisions – and we will continue to do so.” Scholz cited support for Ukraine as an example. The Chancellor admitted, however, that the recent election results also had something to do with “the fact that some citizens do not agree with our support for Ukraine.” However, he believes this is right and will stick to it.

Scholz in summer interview about negotiations in the Ukraine war

Looking at the Ukraine War Scholz continued: “I believe that this is the moment when we must discuss how we can get out of this war situation and achieve peace more quickly.” A future peace conference with Russia should take place. He said he had agreed on this with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Scholz did not say in the summer interview when the next peace conference would be.

Representatives from a total of 90 countries were present at the peace conference in Switzerland in mid-June – but Russia was absent. Many of the participants already spoke out at the time in favor of Russia also being present at a future conference.

Olaf Scholz on the formation of a government in the coming years: Causes “toothache”

Scholz also believes that forming a government in Germany will be difficult for the foreseeable future. “If I may share my toothache with you: I fear that no matter how things turn out in the next few years, we will have constellations in Germany for many, many years to come in which it will be very complicated to form governments.” This will be seen at the federal level as well as in the states.

“And that’s why it’s important that we work together to create a style in which the fact that parties govern together, who perhaps didn’t think of it when they were born, still ends up getting something done.” On this level, the traffic light coalition has achieved a lot.

With regard to the SPD’s poor performance in the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia at the beginning of September, Scholz said in the summer interview that such results “cannot be sugarcoated”. In particular, the election results for the AfD were “depressing”. In Saxony, the Socia
l Democrats only received 6.2 percent. In Thuringia, it was 6.1 percent. The AfD, on the other hand, emerged as the election winner, with 30.6 percent and 32.8 percent respectively.

Scholz attacks CDU leader Merz: Clear stance on migration

“Doing the work and getting to grips with things, those are the things that matter,” said Scholz. He wants to fight to “get a strong mandate in the next federal election,” Scholz continued. “We’ve already done that.” And the SPD is a “battle-tested party.”

The Chancellor also has a clear opinion on the subject of migration and denounces CDU leader Friedrich Merz. He will not allow Merz to influence him on the migration issue. “I have brought about the greatest turnaround in the handling of migration in the history of the last ten, 20 years.” Important decisions have already been made since last year. Scholz mentioned cuts in benefits for asylum seekers, stationary border controls and the expansion of deportation detention centers.

After the attack in Solingen at the end of August, the government has now launched another security package, Scholz said energetically. Among other things, it provides more options in gun laws and for the fight against Islamist terrorism. In addition, there are “further options for action … for our authorities in dealing with irregular migration.”

Olaf Scholz in talks with the Union and the states on the migration issue

Scholz also stressed that the rejections at the border demanded by Merz are already taking place. “We already have border controls. And effective border management is something we would like to further develop – and also with the support of the opposition.”

The government has made “good suggestions” here, said the Chancellor. But it is clear that these “all have to remain within the framework of European laws, international treaties and our constitution.”

Scholz complained about difficulties in communicating on the migration issue. Part of the problem in the public discussion about it is that he has to explain at length what the government has already achieved – “so that the false impression is not created that not much has been done now – and much more than before.”