CDU chairman Friedrich Merz has accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of a lack of willingness to cooperate in view of the burdens on citizens caused by inflation and the impending energy crisis.

"We see a strikingly bad, sometimes aggressively negative behavior of the SPD towards us at all levels," said Merz, who is also chairman of the Union faction in the Bundestag, in an interview with the German Press Agency in Berlin.

"We regret that and could have imagined it differently."

Scholz himself has not accepted the offer of cooperation on important projects "since the beginning of May," criticized Merz.

"I'm not complaining about it, I'm just stating it." It was "the decision of the SPD and its leadership to behave towards the Union as it is currently doing".

SPD in “very precarious situation”

The SPD traffic light partners FDP and Greens, on the other hand, actively seek communication with the Union on several levels - "and of course we actively respond," added the leader of the largest opposition faction in Parliament.

It is striking that the Greens and FDP practice a completely different approach than the SPD.

He could not conclusively assess why that was, said Merz.

"But the SPD is of course in a very precarious situation since the lost state elections in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia and with the poor poll numbers in the federal government."

Basically, the SPD is back in the polls where they were at this time last year.

“It represents the chancellor with 18 percent in the polls.

It has never happened in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany that the Chancellor's party is below 20 percent," said Merz.

"I can understand that this leads to a certain nervousness in the ranks of the SPD."

Merz criticizes defense minister for "ignorance of detailed questions"

Merz particularly criticized the relationship with Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) as "very complicated, very bulky and not very cooperative".

This is "an expression of their own insecurity, their own ignorance of detailed questions".

Lambrecht therefore avoids any debate if possible and reads prepared speaking notes.

This is the result of this miscasting.

She has not arrived in this office and is objectively completely overwhelmed.” Merz spoke of typical behavior “of someone who is not sure of himself”.

"A defense secretary's shoes are too big for her."