Surprise in the Bundestag: Merkel attacks Scholz - Why the chancellor is suddenly campaigning for the CDU/CSU

Delhaes, Daniel Greive, Martin Hildebrand, Jan Kersting, Silke 23 hrs ago. | The chancellor is increasingly intervening in the election campaign. She criticizes Scholz for the term "guinea pig". It doesn't stop there. In the manner of an opposition politician, the Union candidate attacks the other parties. © dpa In the manner of an opposition politician, the candidate of the Union attacks the other parties. In what will probably be her last speech in the Bundestag, Angela Merkel (CDU) caused a surprise. The chancellor did not make her usual presidential appearance; she played the part of an election campaigner. In parliament, she drummed for the struggling chancellor candidate Armin Laschet - to the annoyance of the SPD and the Greens. "It does matter who governs this country," Merkel said, warning against an alliance of the SPD and Greens with the left. She said it was a special election "because it is a directional decision for our country in the most difficult times." He said citizens had a choice between two options: a government of the SPD and the Greens "that accepts the support of the Left Party, or at least does not rule it out," or a government led by the CDU and CSU with Laschet at the helm. The Bundestag session had been eagerly awaited. All three candidates, Annalena Baerbock (Greens), Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Armin Laschet (CDU), appeared. At the same time, the polling institute Forsa reported a new setback for the CDU/CSU: CDU and CSU fell to 19 percent, while the SPD increased to 25 percent. The Greens are at 17 percent. That it would be more election campaign than plenary debate was clear given the close race. But the chancellor's performance was then extraordinary. Merkel spoke directly in favor of Laschet. "The best path for our country is a CDU/CSU-led federal government with Armin Laschet as chancellor," Merkel said. She added that such a government would ensure stability, reliability, moderation and a sense of center. "That is exactly what Germany needs." Outraged heckling during Merkel's speech Merkel's remarks were interrupted by numerous hecklers. The chancellor defended the unusually clear campaign remarks, saying, "My goodness, what a commotion, I've been a member of this German Bundestag for 30 years, over 30 years, and I don't know where, if not here, such questions have to be discussed. This is the heart chamber of democracy and this is exactly what is being discussed here." The excitement may also have been so great because Merkel herself had emphasized just a few weeks ago that she wanted to largely stay out of election campaigns and party affairs. Recently, however, there has been increasing criticism of this within the CDU/CSU. There was no support from the Chancellor's Office, it was said in the Union faction. Was Merkel not interested in what would become of her party? More on the topic: Angela Merkel's economic record in 16 chartsAnnalena Baerbock: What the woman who wants to succeed Merkel stands forThe Rhineland capitalist: Armin Laschet relies on balance instead of revolutionCan Olaf Scholz be chancellor? A critical portrait of the SPD's candidate for chancellor As long as the polls still showed a clear majority for the CDU/CSU, Merkel remained silent. But then things went downhill with Laschet, the CDU's poll ratings fell, as did those of the CSU in Bavaria. And as the polls fell, Merkel's commitment to the CDU/CSU increased. Internally, she was forced out of the presidency, saying that she was responsible for her party. A disastrous result would also reflect on her. Merkel made her first appearance at the Tempodrom in Berlin at the start of the Union's hot election campaign phase. Three weeks ago. "You all know that since I relinquished the CDU presidency, I've generally stayed out of election campaign events," she said. But now, she said, it was time. She had experienced Armin Laschet as someone "for whom the C in the name of our party is not just any letter," but a compass in everything he does, Merkel touted at the Tempodrom. It was important to him, she said, to build bridges between people, to put the individual and his or her dignity at the center. Balm for the candidate, of whom Merkel is "deeply" convinced that he can be chancellor, as she said. At the time, Merkel was still said to be appearing with Laschet and CSU leader Markus Söder in Munich to close out the campaign ahead of the federal election. Further dates were not planned. Chancellor appears more and more often with Laschet But in the meantime, the chancellor is seen more and more often at the CDU candidate's side. She traveled once again with Laschet to the flood zone on Sunday.