Saskia Esken defends Olaf Scholz after being rejected in the Bundestag

It was a moment that went viral on the Internet and caused a lot of discussion and malice: After losing his vote of confidence in the Bundestag on Monday, still-Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands together and chats with his party comrade, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich. Party leader Saskia Esken approaches from behind. Scholz looks briefly in her direction, but turns his back to her and steams off with Mützenich without a word. Esken stands there at a loss for a moment and makes a gesture with her hands that could be interpreted as “You’re leaving? Then don’t.”

Did Scholz, who previously spoke of “respect” in the Bundestag, give his party leader the ice-cold shoulder here? Deliberately ignored?

There was a reaction with ridicule on social media such as Platform X. Even the political competition can’t resist taking a swipe. Former CDU general secretary Paul Ziemiak wrote on

Others, in turn, interpreted the embarrassing scene as meaning that Esken’s status within the party was not good.

But it shouldn’t have been like that – says the woman left behind herself. In her own words, Esken has forgiven the Chancellor for giving her the cold shoulder.

“Olaf Scholz apologized to me very warmly and extensively and that’s it for me,” she told the DPA news agency.

“I know when you give speeches like this that you find yourself in a kind of tunnel, like every artist before and after the performance. The external perception is somewhat limited and in this respect I understand,” said the SPD Chairman. So forgive and forget.

But Saskia Esken cannot completely forgive the media. She criticized the huge media attention that the embarrassing moment received.

“The fact that the media is making such a big deal out of it and (…) it is also being abused in a way on social media shows the level at which our debate is taking place.”

Esken assured that she saw no fundamental problem between herself and Scholz. “I have been working very, very closely and very trustingly with Olaf Scholz for five years. And I have no reason to assume that he treats me differently than he treats others.”

Scholz had already reacted very quickly to the video on Platform X. “Saskia and I watched the video. Embarrassing of me – luckily we were both able to laugh about it…” he wrote alongside a photo that shows him with Esken.