After TV duel with Biden: German politicians fear Trump's return
"This night will not be forgotten", said CDU foreign politician Norbert Roëttgen to "Spiegel". "The Democrats must now react and send a new candidate into the race." FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai called Biden's appearance "shocking". He told Sender Welt TV that he assumed the US Democrats would now deal with the question: "Is that the right candidate? Yes or no?"
"The Democrats must react immediately and send a new candidate into the race", demanded FDP European politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann of the "Rheinische Post". "That a man like Trump could become President again because the Democrats are not able to put up a strong candidate against him would be a historical tragedy that the whole world would feel."
Biden made a weak impression in the TV duel against his Republican challenger Trump on Thursday (local time) and kept stuttering and stammering. In a CNN survey, 67 percent of viewers saw the former President Trump as the winner of the debate.
Skeptical voices came from the German government regarding Biden after his TV appearance: He had "presented many facts vaguely and was sometimes hard to understand", said Transatlantic Coordinator Michael Link (FDP). "Whether the Democrats will really go into the election in November with Joe Biden is a decision they must make at their party conference in mid-August." They had to consider now who had the best chances of winning against Ex-President Trump.
The German government will not comment on the US election campaign and will not interfere, said Vice-Government Spokesperson Wolfgang Büchner himself. Chancellor Scholz holds Biden in high regard and has "an excellent personal relationship" with him.
The right-populist Trump had imposed tariffs on German and European products during his first term and thus triggered a trade conflict with the EU. In the beginning of his term, he repeatedly questioned the commitment of the USA towards NATO partners and accused Germany in particular of investing too little in defense.
"Perhaps Europe will finally wake up after the first TV duel", wrote the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Michael Roth (SPD), on Friday in the online service X. "Hoping anxiously for Biden's re-election helps nothing." Europe must "finally dare more" and "take on more leadership in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans".
"Trump's statements in the debate were worrying for Germany and Europe", said Transatlantic Coordinator Link to "Tagesspiegel". "His foreign policy statements are confusing and disconcerting, for example when he claims he would end the Ukraine war, of course without mentioning the Europeans." In trade policy, he wanted to make deals with individual European countries and again try to "play individual EU countries off against each other". The Europeans had to prepare themselves "consistently for all scenarios", Link said.
- Despite the weak performance of Joe Biden in the TV duel with Trump, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz maintains a positive view of him.
- Bijan Djir-Sarai, the FDP's General Secretary, labeled Biden's appearance as "shocking" following his stuttering and stammering during the debate.
- FDP European politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann urged the Democrats to replace Biden if they want to prevent a Trump return, calling it a potential historical tragedy.
- Norbert Röttgen from the CDU criticized Biden's performance and urged the Democrats to put forward a stronger candidate.
- After Biden's weak showing in the debate, there are growing skepticism and concerns within the German government about his ability to win against Trump in the November election.
- The right-populist Trump's tariffs and trade conflict with the EU during his first term have strained relations between the two.
- The SPD's Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Michael Roth, wrote that Europe should not rely on Biden's re-election and should take on more leadership roles in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.
- According to Transatlantic Coordinator Michael Link, Trump's statements in the debate were concerning for Germany and Europe, as they were confusing and disconcerting, and he wanted to divide the EU by making deals with individual countries.
- The Federal Government spokesperson, Wolfgang Büchner, confirmed that Germany will not interfere in the US election campaign and will not comment on the candidates.
- Bijan Djir-Sarai questioned whether Democrats would really stand by Biden in the election after his performance in the TV duel against Trump.
- Trump's first term saw him questioning the commitment of the USA towards NATO partners, particularly Germany, and accusing it of investing too little in defense.
- The FDP and the SPD have criticized Biden's weak performance in the debate, while the CDU has urged the Democrats to find a stronger candidate for the November election.
