Advertisement
Advertisement
Germany
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) top candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz. Photo: Reuters

Politico | Olaf Scholz shocks German media by speaking in English

  • Chancellor hopeful makes unusual move of answering questions in English after Sunday’s election
  • Scholz’s willingness to speak English publicly was in marked contrast to some other senior German politicians
Germany

This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Emma Anderson on politico.eu on September 27, 2021.

Gott im Himmel! The man aiming to be Germany’s next chancellor is already speaking English in public.

Olaf Scholz, the Social Democrat vying to lead the next German government after Sunday’s election, shocked German media Monday by answering questions in English at a press conference.

When asked by a correspondent for Britain’s Channel 4 TV to respond to questions in English on how long coalition talks might last and potentially sending German truck drivers to Britain to help with the country’s driver shortage, Scholz responded in kind.

“We worked very hard to convince the British not to leave the [European] Union,” he said, adding that he hoped the UK would be able to manage the crisis and suggesting it might have to do with wages or working conditions.

A second British journalist then chimed in, saying “while we’re speaking English, if I may just ask one more,” to which Scholz quipped: “This is a German press conference, please,” before answering that question in English as well.

Editorial: Following in Merkel’s footsteps will be a daunting challenge

A German journalist followed up by saying: “Just for a change, I’d like to ask a question in German.”

Scholz’s willingness to speak English publicly was in marked contrast to some other senior German politicians. After the 2009 election, then liberal FDP leader Guido Westerwelle refused to answer questions in English from a BBC reporter, saying “we’re in Germany here”, remarks that earned him mockery online and raised questions about his ambitions to ultimately become foreign minister.

03:11

Germany’s Social Democrats win election, chancellor candidate Scholz celebrated by his supporters

Germany’s Social Democrats win election, chancellor candidate Scholz celebrated by his supporters

The reaction from German media to Scholz’s use of English showed how unexpected this was, with daily newspaper Tagesspiegel making it their top headline Monday afternoon: “Scholz surprises with press conference in English”.

The Rheinische Post also made it a top story online, saying his “first press conference in English” showed Scholz was “rehearsing” being chancellor.

“There is a little chancellor flair already in the air. The strong presence of foreign media is at least a small indication that people in the rest of Europe believe this social democrat on the stage could succeed the great Angela Merkel after 16 years,” the Rheinische Post wrote in its analysis. His conservative rival for the chancellery, Armin Laschet, “was not asked a single international question” at his own press conference Monday, the newspaper noted.

Read Politico’s story.

1