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Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble is relieved about the change of staff in Washington.
"Since the attack on the Capitol, it can no longer be denied that Donald Trump was a threat to democracy," Schäuble told the Handelsblatt.
He hoped that the US would now come together again.
"I can only wholeheartedly wish the new US President Joe Biden all the luck in the world that this succeeds."
I also spoke to the Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and paid the outgoing US President Donald Trump a tweet with the same coin: On his departure from the White House, she tweeted on Wednesday: “He seems like a very happy old man looking forward to a bright and wonderful future.
So nice to see! ”(He looks like a very happy old man who is looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!).
Below that, she posted a picture of Trump getting into a helicopter in front of the White House.
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Trump had used almost the same wording about Greta Thunberg in an earlier tweet: "She looks like a very happy young girl who is looking forward to a bright and wonderful future.
So nice to see! ”He wrote in 2019 after giving a very emotional speech to the United Nations in New York.
Relief in German politics
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The inauguration of Joe Biden raises hopes for better transatlantic relations and international cooperation in German politics.
"Today is a good day for democracy," said Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a video message published on Wednesday.
The federal government's transatlantic coordinator, Peter Beyer (CDU), is hoping for Biden to visit Germany soon.
Steinmeier expressed great "relief" that Biden is now moving into the White House.
"I know that this feeling is shared by many people in Germany."
With the assumption of office of the new US administration, the hope is also connected that "the international community will work more closely and better together again in the future to solve the big problems of our time", added Steinmeier.
"We look forward to having the USA back by our side as an indispensable partner in many questions in the future."
"It suffered a lot under Trump"
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Transatlantic coordinator Beyer told the "Saarbrücker Zeitung" (Thursday edition) that there was now an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between Germany and the USA.
“It suffered a lot under Trump.” Biden now “has to fix some things and build trust.
We want and will stand by his side as strong partners. "
The federal government expects Biden to travel to Germany, Beyer said.
"Especially after four years of Donald Trump there is a longing for such a visit in Germany."
The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Norbert Röttgen (CDU), also expects an improvement in the transatlantic relationship.
"You can now talk about anything in style and tone again," he said on Wednesday in SWR.
However, some points of contention remained - such as the US criticism of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and of the German defense spending that was too low from Washington's perspective.
Walter-Borjans: "Day of Confidence"
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SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans spoke on Twitter of a "day of confidence".
The office of the US president comes back into the hands of "a sensible, responsible personality".
For the issues of trade, climate and security there is now "a serious basis for discussion" again.
Greens boss Annalena Baerbock told the broadcasters RTL and n-tv about Biden's inauguration: “The whole world is looking forward to this moment.” The past few years Trump had “really shaken the US, but also international relations overall”.
Biden had already shook hands with the Europeans to cooperate: "We as Europeans should take this hand now and not lie back comfortably in the sofa and wait for what's coming from the USA, but rather make offers of cooperation ourselves," said Baerbock.
She was "incredibly relieved that the period of horror under Trump has ended for the time being," said Left Chairwoman Katja Kipping.
Now “a right-wing populist who has caused a lot of damage is leaving the White House”.
Biden and future Vice President Kamala Harris wished Kipping "every success in healing the damage Trump has caused."