Leading politicians in the traffic light coalition have accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of leadership weakness.

Scholz speaks of a turning point, but does not implement it sufficiently, "there's a lot more leadership needed," said the Green politician Anton Hofreiter.

Above all, he criticized the Chancellor's Ukraine policy.

"The problem is in the Chancellery," said the chairman of the Bundestag's Europe Committee on the "RTL Direkt" program on Wednesday evening.

"Now we must finally start supplying Ukraine with what it needs, and that includes heavy weapons." In addition, Germany must stop blocking the energy embargo, particularly on oil and coal.

The Greens politician said that when you talk to other European parliamentarians, the question is asked everywhere where Germany actually is.

"We're losing a lot of respect from all of our neighbors there."

Ukraine is demanding heavy weapons such as battle tanks, artillery pieces and air defense systems from Germany.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) spoke out in favor of the delivery of heavy weapons, while Chancellor Scholz has so far been reluctant to answer questions about this.

The "Passauer Neue Presse" said Hofreiter with a view to Scholz: "I don't understand his attitude." On the television station "Phoenix" he had already demanded that the Chancellor show leadership.

"It hangs mainly in the Chancellery," he said there.

Strack-Zimmermann draws a Merkel comparison

The chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), also attested to Scholz's weakness in leadership.

On Thursday morning she answered on Deutschlandfunk when asked whether a procrastinator was working in the Chancellery: "Yes."

“He has the authority to set guidelines.

He must now state clearly what he wants.

And then the ministries can also act loyally in a coordinated manner in the cabinet.

Now everyone does their own thing.

And of course that's not possible," said the FDP politician on Wednesday on the "Welt" television station.

She criticized the fact that the Federal Chancellor absolutely had to lead because there was currently a “complex situation” between the various ministries.

"Now he has to say clearly what he wants," said Strack-Zimmermann.

The defense expert reminded Chancellor Scholz's management style of his predecessor's legislature.

Angela Merkel rarely gave the direction, "but just looked where people's opinions are going, and then put herself at the head of the movement." At ntv she said: "I'd like to bite granite.

But it's more like cotton wool that you bite into, because you really don't know exactly what the chancellor wants.

That makes it much more difficult.”

Rolf Mützenich, chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, commented on the allegations on Thursday and defended the Chancellor's policy.

“There are no easy answers, even when it comes to the delivery of heavy military equipment to Ukraine.

Anyone who claims that is acting irresponsibly,” he said.

“The images and reports of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine are horrific and disturbing.

Getting an idea of ​​it on site can be the right thing to do.

However, under this impression, it is wrong to demand unprecedented decisions without having to answer for them yourself - especially since these could have far-reaching consequences for the security of our country and NATO.