Sunday, February 20, 2011

Olaf Scholz: The long road to the top

Happy before the end of election day: Olaf Scholz on Sunday in Hamburg Very early political in his life Olaf Scholz represented the Young Socialists in the SPD in the Coordination Committee of the peace movement, which concerns the organization of mass demonstrations in Bonn and was a matter which of the many members occur as a speaker and say what they should.

With wonder and amazement he perceived as his colleagues, the inquisitive media people - and those of the accursed bourgeois press - with information and opinions supplied. Olaf Scholz took the right not to do that. He would not. He worked internally He urged not to the fore, which had to do with the fact that he was not one of the gifted rhetoricians of this circle.

He was limited to the organization of power. But in this he was not to be underestimated, and a corresponding call may Olaf Scholz also have enjoyed - even later on flirting ironic way. A braggart he is not. For further public inside and outside of the SPD is Scholz, at least as far as popularity and prominence, a late starter.

Maybe Gerhard Schröder, the potential of the born in Osnabrück Hamburgers detected early - as in any event, as Scholz the first Chancellor of the SPD to Helmut Schmidt in a big circle of the parliamentary party a lesson in matters of social policy and employment law was - was killed in a river in the Bundestag in 1998 He worked as a labor lawyer.

Schroeder was amazed and impressed. From then on he held Scholz for one of the great political talent in the SPD. He seems to do still. For home and business man Schröder, it is not, of course, support the campaign by a fellow party active. In the case of Olaf Scholz, on its way to the office of prime minister, Schroeder has done it.

But it took some time. The rise of Scholz in the SPD was slow. The road was rocky and marked by setbacks. The worst time for him the one and a half years after the parliamentary elections of 2002. Franz Muentefering had as general secretary of the SPD - organized campaign Schroeder - at the very end successful.

He was SPD Group Chairman and looked - like a hawk and political finesse - the work of his successor in the Willy-Brandt-Haus, on Olaf Scholz. The had a hard time. He did not have its own staff. The lines of the policies of the SPD and the SPD-Green coalition in total were determined by others: by Schroeder and the Chancellor's Office, by Joseph Fischer and his green friends, Franz Muentefering and the parliamentary group.

The function of Scholz had been reduced to that of a senior press officer, who had yet to suffer from the fact, not asked, and hardly about to access. Scholz had - be limited to official pronouncements, and because he did it in much the perfect way, the word "Scholzomat" invented - verbally and in writing.

The basis for the reputation of the "Anti-Guttenberg" was laid. Scholz claimed that in between, the SPD was to emphasize the theme of "democratic socialism" from its policy statement, carried in the autumn of 2003 to his disaster. At the party conference in Bochum, he was confirmed with only 52.6 percent in office.

Although quickly made the interpretation of the round, actually Schroeder and his Agenda 2010 should be punished. Scholz But the anger of the delegates had to endure. As Schröder a few months later, the leadership of the SPD in the hands of Müntefering, Scholz also left the Willy-Brandt-Haus.

In the parliamentary party, he started down. It dealt with issues of domestic politics and the news services. He was diligent. He was training for the many. And all in the SPD have assumed it would continue with Scholz. It was only in waiting. With the formation of the grand coalition was Scholz (best) Parliamentary Secretary of the SPD parliamentary group.

The object corresponding to inclinations and abilities. With his colleague Röttgen of the CDU, there was good cooperation. Scholz worked in the background, but also began to preach political direction, not only, but also shape. Ex officio, he was involved in all decisions and deals with all issues, which got under Peter Struck, the Group Chairman, the suspicion, Scholz would replace him at the head of the SPD deputies.

It should not happen. Scholz in 2007, Labour and Social Affairs, after Muentefering resigned because of the illness of his wife. Scholz remained as in previous years out of the personnel disputes, the SPD, which he should turn out how to use, it should. Kurt Beck even beat him even at that meeting sealed the Schwielowsee in late summer 2008, when his own fate was, as his successor at the head of the SPD.

It was not included. Müntefering came back. But after the disaster the SPD in the Bundestag elections in 2009 Scholz was one of those who prepared the overdue personnel decisions. At the federal level, he became deputy party chairman and parliamentary group. But with his election as SPD chairman in Hamburg, he had to consider whether he should turn to the country's politics.

He held talks and had confirmed to be Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic city is a beautiful office. Faster than expected, the matter came up to him. So perfect, he organized the campaign that Frank Schira, state chairman of the CDU, Scholz held up even this had ordered his companions, appear on many public events, all he cares how to do it, with white shirt and tie.

And Angela Merkel, who valued him as Federal Minister of Labour, held him in full before their utter conviction, even if she had married in the election campaign, the CDU "Hamburg will be governed again properly" with the remark to attack.

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