Dr. Henning Hoff

Having pushed through a deal in which a Chinese state-owned company takes a minority share in one of Hamburg’s port terminals, the German chancellor is getting ready for his solo trip to see President Xi Jinping in Beijing. It is a missed opportunity.

As foreign minister, the leading Green has given German foreign policy a fresh voice. She has been pushing Chancellor Olaf Scholz to do more to support Ukraine with weapons and even seems not to have given up on the country’s top job.

As Germany braces itself for the tough months ahead, its squabbling politicians need to get a grip and focus on what really matters most: ensuring that Ukraine wins.

Slowly, Germany’s political class has caught up with the present. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and  his Green Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck are starting to prepare Germany for a future that the country did not reckon with.

Amid dramatic shifts caused by Russia’s war of aggression, Germany is getting a lot of flak for dragging its feet and acting too slowly. The Scholz government is risking its leadership role in Europe.

Once again, Chancellor Olaf Scholz only moved after the pressure got too high. His smaller coalition partners are now in a good position to drive government policy.