Scholz warned of perils of a three-way coalition as he is sworn in
New German chancellor uses opening day in power to warn Putin over Nord Stream 2 and Ukraine
OLAF SCHOLZ yesterday was warned that he would face a struggle to hold together the country’s first three-way coalition as he was sworn in as chancellor after Angela Merkel officially stepped down.
Mr Scholz is head of a so-called “traffic light coalition” between his centre-left Social Democrats, the centre-right Free Democrats and the Green Party.
“It is more difficult to lead a coalition of three parties that are very differently positioned,” said Gerhard Schröder, a former chancellor, on Mr Scholz’s first day in office.
However, he added: “I think he will do it very, very well.”
It came as Germany’s new leader faced his first major challenge in the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
In a sign that the US had secured a commitment from his government to ditch the £8billion project if Russia invades Ukraine, Mr Scholz threatened Moscow with “consequences” if it sends troops over the border.
“We have a very clear view: we want everyone to respect the integrity of borders,” Mr Scholz told Welt television when asked whether he could imagine using the pipeline as leverage as proposed by the US.
“Everyone understands that there will be consequences if that doesn’t happen, but the thing is to do everything to make sure they remain unbreached.”
The fresh row over the pipeline threatened to overshadow an emotional day in Berlin yesterday as Mrs Merkel stepped down.
“I would like to thank you for your work over the past 16 years,” Mr Scholz told Mrs Merkel at a brief handover ceremony at the Chancellery.
“I believe that one can say honestly and accurately that it was a great era when you were chancellor of this country. You achieved great things.”
Earlier, Mrs Merkel received a standing ovation from MPS as she attended the Bundestag to watch Mr Scholz being sworn in as her successor.
“I know from my own experience that it is a moving moment to be elected to this office,” Mrs Merkel told him.
“It is an exciting, fulfilling task, and also a demanding one; but if you do it with joy, then it is perhaps one of the most beautiful tasks there is to be responsible for this country.”
Staff lined the entrance to the chancellery to applaud Mrs Merkel as she left for the last time.
However, there were no tears from
Mrs Merkel, just a final view of her waving from the window of her car as she drove away.
Then it was down to business for Mr Scholz, who is taking office with Germany in the grip of a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic and amid international concern over Russia-ukraine tensions.
There was a telling moment earlier in the day when Mr Scholz bowed to fellow MPS in a gesture of humility as he took his seat in parliament as chancellor for the first time.
After winning a vote of confidence by 395 to 303, he made the short journey to Bellevue Palace to be officially appointed by Frank-walter Steinmeier, the president. The afternoon was taken up with ministerial appointments.
Cem Özdemir, the new transport minister and a Green, was accused of grandstanding when he eschewed a ministerial Mercedes and cycled to the presidential palace, carrying his official appointment letter in the pannier.
But it was a moment that may set the tone for a government that says it wants to do things differently.
‘It is an exciting task, and also a demanding one; but if you do it with joy, it is one of the most beautiful tasks’