Scholz Positioned for Second Term as German Leader After Defense Minister Rules Out Candidacy

BERLIN — Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, has confirmed he will not seek to become the country’s next chancellor, solidifying current Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s bid for re-election. Scholz is expected to seek a second term in an early election scheduled for February 23, following weeks of party turmoil and the collapse of his three-party coalition government.

On Friday, Scholz and leaders of his Social Democratic Party (SPD) pledged to recover from their polling deficit, asserting that Scholz’s leadership over the past three years has delivered successes. However, internal disagreements during the past week have further exposed divisions within the struggling party.

In a video released Thursday, Pistorius stated he would not run for chancellor, adding that Scholz is a “strong chancellor” and “the right candidate.” Pistorius’s announcement followed days of speculation that his higher popularity might prompt the SPD to consider him over Scholz.

The speculation intensified after Scholz’s dismissal of the finance minister two weeks ago led to the coalition government’s collapse. Instead of rallying behind Scholz, SPD members engaged in public debates about his leadership.

The opposition center-right Union bloc, which is leading in polls, has already selected Friedrich Merz as its candidate. Meanwhile, the Greens, Scholz’s former coalition partners, have chosen Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck to spearhead their campaign.

Although Scholz has signaled his intent to run for months and has party leadership’s backing, the absence of a formal nomination fueled doubts. Influential SPD lawmakers earlier this week linked Scholz’s standing to the coalition’s failure, citing Pistorius’s popularity as a potential alternative.

Pistorius, however, emphasized his support for Scholz in his video message, saying he had not initiated the leadership discussion and urged the party to move past it. “We now have a joint responsibility to end this debate,” he said.

The SPD is expected to officially nominate Scholz as its candidate on Monday. Speaking at a conference of local SPD politicians in Berlin, party co-leader Lars Klingbeil urged unity, stating, “If any party can fight, it’s the Social Democrats … I want to win with you.”

Reflecting on the coalition’s collapse, Scholz said the decision was necessary due to persistent internal conflicts that hindered focus on achievements. He highlighted Germany’s leadership as Europe’s largest military supplier to Ukraine while maintaining caution over supplying long-range Taurus missiles, citing concerns about escalating the war with Russia.

Economic challenges are expected to dominate the upcoming election campaign. Germany’s economy grew by just 0.1% in the third quarter, revised down from an earlier estimate of 0.2%, according to official data released Friday.