Who would he play?

If there were not only a parliamentary poet, but also a parliamentary theatre, in which Molière play would Olaf Scholz appear?

In "the misanthrope"?

Rather not.

Although he often speaks so softly, as if distrusting the good will of the society around him, one cannot imagine him as Alceste.

Our new Federal Chancellor is not a “melancholic in love”.

And certainly no “Don Juan” either.

Although the role of Sganarelle, the faithful valet in this play, and particularly his lament "My wages, my wages" would be fitting for the ex-Treasury Secretary.

But now he's no longer just responsible for the household, but for the entire fortunes of the country, so he can't play the role of valet.

Simon Strauss

Editor in the Feuilleton.

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And also no "miser", for whom things - independent of their intermediary money - have lost all their value.

Although "Wirecard" was of course about exactly that: the hoarding of capital that was withdrawn from the public money market.

Tartuffe?

The fanatical bigot?

Perhaps Molière's most demonic character, who ruins an entire family with her intimidating charisma and who, with her breathtaking dexterity, keeps finding new ways to avoid being caught as a fraud.

But someone who didn't even pretend to be dependent on God's help when he was sworn in is simply not capable of such a pseudo-spiritual joker figure.

Sly old ears

Olaf Scholz, on the other hand, does not correspond to the ideal image of the “honnête homme”, which appears in almost all thirty-four plays by the French dramatist and theater entrepreneur. He looks mischievous too often for that, as if he had to struggle to suppress a smile at the gullibility of his listeners. It's not only in Hamburg that people hear that the new Federal Chancellor is one who has a sly old hand. One can best imagine Olaf Scholz in the role of one of the many doctors who appear in Molière. The doctors have four of his pieces in the title, one of his best-known ones – “The Imaginary Sick” – is about their hypocritical mode of action. Yes, as a demigod in white, Olaf Scholz would probably get the most applause in the Parliament Theater. one,who diagnoses with a calm voice, whose treatment one trusts, but who is also so confident in his abilities that he sees any queries from his patient as a motion of no confidence. Monsieur Purgon appears as such to the imaginary sick Argan. He quickly understands that his patient, rather than being cured, would rather be confirmed in his own suffering, and he prescribes many ineffective medications for him. Without wanting to read this as a metaphor for social-democratic welfare state thinking, the gesture of authority that is by no means malicious, but simply adaptable, fits in quite well with Scholz's demeanor.Monsieur Purgon appears as such to the imaginary sick Argan. He quickly understands that his patient, rather than being cured, would rather be confirmed in his own suffering, and he prescribes many ineffective medications for him. Without wanting to read this as a metaphor for social-democratic welfare state thinking, the gesture of authority that is by no means malicious, but simply adaptable, fits in quite well with Scholz's demeanor.Monsieur Purgon appears as such to the imaginary sick Argan. He quickly understands that his patient, rather than being cured, would rather be confirmed in his own suffering, and he prescribes many ineffective medications for him. Without wanting to read this as a metaphor for social-democratic welfare state thinking, the gesture of authority that is by no means malicious, but simply adaptable, fits in quite well with Scholz's demeanor.but just adaptable authority pretty well to Scholzian demeanor.but just adaptable authority pretty well to Scholzian demeanor.

I don't take them and get well

Basically, all the doctors who appear in Molière are figureheads of an insecure society that takes refuge in a belief in medicine. Today, in the face of the pandemic and the rampant skepticism about vaccination, there is definitely explosive material hidden in his pieces. When medical experts are presented – for example in “Die Liebe als Doktor” or “Don Juan” – this corresponded to the author's skepticism towards the medicine of his time. Montaigne, who was admired by Molière, referred to the healing powers of nature and tried to cure his kidney stones away from the conventional treatment methods in spas. Molière carefully chose his own personal physician. When the king asked how he was treating him, the celebrated playwright is said to have replied: "Your Majesty, we are chatting together,He prescribes medicine for me, I don't take it and I'll get well.” Similar sentences can be read today in the forums of the opponents of vaccination.