Massive traffic light criticism of Scholz: "The problem is in the Chancellery"

Leading politicians in the traffic light coalition have accused Chancellor Ola 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 finally have to start supplying Ukraine with what it needs, and that includes heavy weapons." And 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" (Thursday) said Hofreiter with a view to Scholz: "I don't understand his attitude." On the Phoenix television station, he had already demanded that the Chancellor show leadership.

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

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

“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 looked to see where people's opinions went, and then took the lead in the movement."

Hofreiter and Strack-Zimmermann traveled to Ukraine with SPD politician Michael Roth on Tuesday and met Ukrainian parliamentarians in Lemberg.