Anticipated Voting Events in 2025 - A Chechen individual expresses intent to wager on Scholz during the Hamburg electoral shift.
Despite less-than-favorable poll ratings for Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Tschentscher, his party buddy and local mayor in Hamburg, is banking on the perks of incumbency and the policies of the traffic light coalition for his election bid. In Tschentscher's words to the German Press Agency, "Scholz is an outstanding Chancellor." Serving as Hamburg's mayor until 2018, Scholz now heads a coalition with the Greens and FDP. As Tschentscher puts it, "It's tough to conduct politics as harmoniously as the people would like."
There have been no meetings with Scholz for the regional election campaign as of yet. "We've got our duties to perform as a government," explains Tschentscher, "So my campaign takes off late – no specific dates or strategies yet." The Hamburg parliament will hold elections anew in early March 2025, followed by federal elections in September.
Tschentscher commends Scholz's refugee policy
The campaign can point to numerous accomplishments of the federal government, points out Tschentscher. When it comes to refugee policy, he declares, "We've achieved more than ever in the past two years." Now, border controls are in effect, deportations are more consistent, and there are agreements with EU countries to manage migration at the bloc's external borders. He insists that no changes from the traffic light coalition are needed in other areas. "Hamburg backs the federal government's approach in climate protection and renewable energy investments."
Tschentscher plans to run his campaign leaning on the success stories of the traffic light coalition
Blunders like the initial proposal for the infamous "heating law" have also been rectified thanks to Hamburg's involvement. "In essence, the traffic light coalition's working methods in Berlin are critiqued occasionally," says Tschentscher, "But we also voice our concerns in the Bundesrat. Simultaneously, we collaborate effectively with ministries on various projects." This partnership can be highlighted during the campaign.
The SPD, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is widely criticized, but Tschentscher, a party member and Hamburg's mayor, supports Scholz's leadership, calling him "an outstanding Chancellor." Emphasizing the coalition's success, Tschentscher plans to run his campaign in Hamburg leveraging the achievements of the traffic light coalition, including significant strides in refugee policy and climate protection.
