Olaf Scholz and the "court jester": How politicians react

DER SPIEGEL Olaf Scholz and the "court jester": How politicians react 4 hours • 3 minutes reading time Olaf Scholz describes the CDU politician Joe Chialo as a "court jester". Friedrich Merz "is at a loss for words", the chairman of the Junge Union suggests that the Chancellor should resign. The SPD, on the other hand, suspects a campaign. The Union's candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has sharply criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his "court jester" remark about the Berlin Senator for Culture Joe Chialo (CDU). "This is the Chancellor who always demands respect, but obviously only for himself," said Merz on the sidelines of an election campaign event in Neubrandenburg. The incident sheds light on "his behavior" and "his social behavior". When asked whether he would demand an apology from Scholz, the CDU chairman said: "He has to decide that for himself. I am at a loss for words.« Scholz had previously admitted to having called Chialo a »court jester« at a party hosted by former FDP treasurer Harald Christ. Georg Meck, editor-in-chief of »Focus« magazine, reported on this. »Focus online« spoke of a »racist outburst« by the Chancellor. In the SPIEGEL top-level meeting, Scholz defended himself against this accusation: »You can accuse me of anything, but certainly not of being a racist.« He never linked the »court jester« remark to Chialo's skin colour. The accusation affected him »personally very much«. He respected Chialo and regretted if he had taken the statement to himself, said the Chancellor. »I just didn't say what was reported.« According to SPIEGEL information, Scholz and Chialo wanted to speak on the phone on Wednesday evening. The Chancellor also commissioned media lawyer Christian Schertz to take legal action against the magazine, whose wording had given the impression of a racist insult. JU chairman suggests resignation CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann told Bild that Scholz was losing control. "Such behavior leaves me speechless. Not a word of regret, not a word of apology," said the CDU General Secretary. "It is simply undignified." Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) wrote on X that everyone must "decide for themselves how to conduct their election campaign. However, respect and decency" should determine their actions, said the politician. "It would be decent if the Chancellor were to apologize to Joe Chialo now." Johannes Winkel, the chairman of the Junge Union, went even further. He suggested that Olaf Scholz should resign. He described the incident on Welt TV as "outright racism": Anyone who "permits such a slip-up" must be careful not to "cause lasting damage to the office of the Chancellor." If Scholz "cannot behave," he must resign before the election on February 23. Union parliamentary group vice-chairman Jens Spahn also demanded an apology from Scholz. "This is an unspeakable slip-up by the Chancellor, it is tasteless and therefore the opposite of respect. As a friend of Joe, these insults shock me," Spahn told the German Press Agency. "Olaf Scholz should immediately apologize to him personally. It is the sad end of a catastrophic chancellorship." The SPD has rejected the attacks against Scholz. General Secretary Matthias Miersch accused "Focus" of "targeted campaigning in the interests of the CDU." "The CDU is staging a wave of outrage that has been unleashed ten days after the alleged incident," says a statement shared by Miersch's press spokesman on X. As a party "whose chairman defames people as 'little pashas' and 'social tourists'," the CDU should "refrain from making untenable accusations against Olaf Scholz."