German president Steinmeier delivers a sombre speech about help for communities devastated by floods while in background CDU chancellor candidate Armin Laschet appears to laugh himself silly about some joke:
There are many CDUers, including on Laschet’s own centrist wing, who fear he’s ultimately a natural small-town mayor who is out of his depth as frontrunner to succeed Merkel. Others counter that his jovial, folksy style is his strength. This clip will strengthen the former camp.
Another theory this may strengthen is that Laschet has mixed feelings about being chancellor candidate at all. I understand he was talked into running to block right-winger Merz, and only after that point came to like the idea. Deep down, does he really want to be chancellor?
Laschet’s big sell was that he’s a down-to-earth unifier in a time of polarisation (he explicitly framed himself as an anti-Trump in his application speech at CDU conference). Moments like these horrific floods are *exactly* what he’s meant to be good at. And this is his region!
Yet Laschet’s response to floods has been marked by bland speeches, achingly slow progress towards a serious engagement with climate change, a patronising interview with a woman journalist and now mucking around on camera in what should have been a moment of national solidarity.
He has contrasted unfavorably with Malu Dreyer, the SPD minister president of the neighbouring state. I’ve long wondered why Dreyer has not been touted more as a possible chancellor and her emotionally resonant, serious response to the floods have only made me wonder more.
Whomever you’d like to see as chancellor, Germany needs a strong and moderate CDU/CSU. Laschet’s win over populist Merz to be its chancellor candidate was a good thing. He has some great people on his team. But it’s so disappointing to see him fail to rise to this moment. [ENDS]
PS: Only fair to share this of Steinmeier chuckling in background of Laschet’s own sombre statement. Clips are clips. But a chancellor (unlike Germany’s mostly symbolic president) wields power and with power comes a responsibility to rise to the occasion. Today, Laschet didn’t.
https://twitter.com/sarfeld/status/1416445642705100803
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