Olaf Scholz simply leaves Saskia Esken standing – that says a lot

The most meaningful moments in politics often don’t happen on stage, not in the spotlight. They happen when the pressure drops, when apparently no one is looking anymore.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz produced such a moment after losing the vote of confidence.

The session has just ended. In front of the government bench in the plenary hall, Scholz speaks with parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich. Short handshake, a few words. Party leader Saskia Esken joins us from the side. Scholz turns his head in her direction and quickly looks away again. Esken stands next to the two men, she stops just centimeters away and Scholz…?

The Chancellor simply turns away, tucks his briefcase under his arm and steps away. Esken looks after him. She stands there alone. Opens both palms, at a loss. This is what can be seen in videos, this is what all those journalists who stayed until the end of the debate were able to observe. Then the SPD party leader goes back to her seat, packs her things and rushes off.

Did the Chancellor deliberately ignore them? Was that a Scholzian gesture of power towards the woman who may not remain party leader for much longer? Did he care? Or was it all just an accident?

When it comes to evaluating images in politics, it is not just how they were intended that matters. What matters is how they work. Armin Laschet can sing entire oratorios about it.

In the 2021 federal election campaign, a video of his laughter after the Ahr flood disaster helped give away the election victory that had already been believed to be certain to Olaf Scholz. Laschet thought he was unobserved, away from the spotlights – and yet he was right in the middle of it all.

It was not important for the assessment of the scene why Laschet laughed. What was crucial was that his laughter seemed inappropriate, that it exaggerated what people were already worried about: that Laschet might not be suitable to lead the country and to represent the Federal Republic worthily.

Now, a failed handshake in parliament does not have the same signaling effect as a false laugh during a flood. Nevertheless, the Chancellor’s video apparently triggers something and is being passed around, especially among those who know him better: It is telling, as they say in English. A single scene shines a bright light on everything we think we know about the SPD politician’s human qualities.

Apparently the video completes a picture, like Laschet. One remembers how Scholz publicly paraded a reporter for her question. How, as finance minister, he responded to requests from his cabinet colleagues with a simple “No,” which he was happy to repeat when it suited him. How he avoided almost all self-criticism after the traffic light went out like the devil would otherwise avoid holy water.

The Chancellor rarely showed any nerves. But all too often we let it shine through who in this country really knows something about politics (namely him) and who doesn’t (most of the others). His gestures of power are not as high in testosterone as Markus Söder’s, not quick-tempered or broad-legged, not loud and verbose.

Scholz ostracizes things differently. He punishes with disregard, with silence, with a narrow smile those who he deems incapable of satisfying. That’s why this video seems so meaningful. Apparently he doesn’t even notice her, Saskia Esken. Or don’t want to.

For the SPD woman, the scene must be doubly bitter. It was also thanks to their help that Olaf Scholz became a candidate for chancellor again instead of Boris Pistorius. Few people publicly stood by his side as closely as the SPD leader.

Of all people, she left Scholz alone that day. What a conclusion to this progress coalition.