Europe | The inner circle of Germany’s chancellor

Who does Olaf Scholz listen to?

Unlike Angela Merkel, he likes his meetings short and one-on-one

Das Bundeskanzleramt spiegelt sich in einer Pfütze. Dort treffen sich heute die Spitzen der Koalition zum Koalitionsausschuss. — Image: dpa

Apr 5th 2023|BERLIN

Berliners call it the Washing Machine. Yet lately the sound coming from the giant cube of concrete and glass where German chancellors work has not been a whirr of efficiency but a clank of discord. Whether against European neighbours, American allies or partners in Germany’s own three-party coalition, the tight circle of advisers that has ringed Olaf Scholz since he took office 16 months ago seems to have a penchant for getting into fights.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Who does Germany’s chancellor listen to?”