Criticism Levied by Social Democrats Toward the Chancellery

Regional News Out of Oldenburg

, and Administrator

2025 September 17 . 9:18 AM

2 min read

Chancellery under fire for criticism from the Social Democrats

A growing rift within the political landscape of Germany has come to light, with criticism being leveled at both the Chancellery and the Union party. The latest development in this ongoing saga involves Daniel Stich, the SPD general secretary in Rhineland-Palatinate, who has spoken out against the Union in an interview with "Der Spiegel."

Mayor Peter Tschentscher of Hamburg (SPD) has also joined the fray, criticizing the Chancellery for a draft resolution on October 14 that, according to him, almost verbatim decided on measures similar to those later implemented. Tschentscher's remarks underscore a perceived undermining of the population's trust in the decisions made by the authorities.

Stich's criticism, however, does not focus on any new facts about the pandemic situation or specific actions or decisions made by the authorities. Instead, he seems to be a response to the ongoing blame game regarding the handling of the pandemic. He has expressed that his party is no longer accepting the blame being placed on the minister-presidents, suggesting a shift in the political narrative.

Helge Braun, head of the Chancellery, and Chancellor Angela Merkel (both CDU) have been spreading the interpretation since January that infection numbers are high due to the minister-presidents preventing tougher measures in the fall. However, Stich contends that the minister-presidents are being blamed for issues that Spahn and Merkel are responsible for.

Stich's comments do not explicitly target Helge Braun or Chancellor Angela Merkel, but his criticism is directed towards the Union. He also warns that this could lead to the burden on the people turning into despair and protest. The name of the Minister President involved in the approval of the Chancellery draft on October 14, who was later portrayed as responsible for high infection numbers, remains unspecified.

This latest round of criticism adds to the escalating tension in the German political landscape, with both sides seemingly at odds over who bears responsibility for the country's handling of the pandemic. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how this blame game will impact the future decisions and cooperation among the various political entities in Germany.