BERLIN — Germany’s well-regarded defense minister has withdrawn his name from consideration for the leadership role in the country, paving the way for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to pursue a second term in an upcoming early election. This decision comes after a turbulent week filled with disputes that highlighted significant divisions within his party, which has been struggling in the polls.
In a video statement released Thursday evening, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that he has communicated to the leadership of the center-left Social Democrats that he is “not available for a candidacy for the office of chancellor.” He reaffirmed his belief in Scholz as a solid leader, stating, “Olaf Scholz is a strong chancellor and he is the right candidate for chancellor.”
Pistorius’ declaration effectively settles the question of who will represent the party in the election slated for February 23. Nevertheless, the publicized disagreements within the party have raised concerns regarding its unity and effectiveness, especially as it lags behind the leading opposition center-right Union bloc in polling data. Scholz’s earlier decision to dismiss his finance minister, an attempt to energize his unpopular three-party coalition, failed to yield the desired effect, as party members expressed skepticism over the chancellor’s leadership.
The opposition has moved ahead in establishing their campaign leaders, with the Union appointing Friedrich Merz as their candidate last September. Meanwhile, Scholz’s coalition partners, the Greens, have selected Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck to spearhead their electoral efforts.
Scholz has made his ambitions for a second term clear for several months and has received backing from party leadership. However, the absence of a formal nomination had led to ongoing speculation about the possibility of Pistorius stepping in as a more popular alternative.
On Monday, prominent lawmakers suggested that Scholz’s reputation is closely tied to the disbanded coalition, which faltered due to disagreements over strategies to rejuvenate Germany’s stagnant economy. They noted a growing number of favorable opinions regarding Pistorius. As the debate raged, Scholz attended the Group of 20 summit in Brazil.
Despite his popularity, Pistorius consistently declared his support for Scholz, carefully refraining from ruling out a run for chancellor until his recent announcement. He acknowledged that the ongoing discussions were detrimental to party unity. “I did not initiate this discussion, I did not want it and I did not bring myself into discussion for anything,” he stated. “We now have a joint responsibility to end this debate.”
The co-leader of the Social Democrats, Saskia Esken, expressed her appreciation of Pistorius’ decision, calling it “a great signal of solidarity” for the party and Scholz. The formal nomination of Scholz as the party’s candidate for chancellor is anticipated at their upcoming meeting on Monday.