Scholz on Merz's plumber comparison: "Proud of this praise"
Criticism or praise? Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has expressed his pride at being compared to a plumber by opposition leader Friedrich Merz. The CDU leader had accused Scholz on Tuesday after his government statement in the Bundestag of only having technical answers to a highly political decision in the budget crisis. "You are a plumber of power," criticized Merz.
A few hours later came the chancellor's reply: "I am a supporter of craftsmanship in Germany," said Scholz when asked after a meeting with Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela. You have to have done things for a very long time to do them well - even in government. "And I think I have a certain parallel with this honorable craft of plumbing," said Scholz. "I, for one, am proud of this praise."
#KlempnerDerMacht? Lieben wir! Danke für dieses Kompliment, Herr Merz. Bei uns haben Klempner nämlich genauso viel Respekt verdient wie Kanzler. Ob Gas, Wasser, 💩oder jede andere Krisensituation - wir sind uns nicht zu schade, anzupacken, wenn’s mal klemmt. #Regierungserklärung pic.twitter.com/plzEiL0M9r
— SPD Parteivorstand 🇪🇺 (@spdde) November 28, 2023
Merz had previously attracted unintentional ridicule with his plumber comparison in the Bundestag. "Plumber of power? We love them!" wrote the SPD party executive on the X platform (formerly Twitter). "Thank you for this compliment, Mr. Merz." Because plumbers deserve just as much respect as chancellors. "Whether it's gas, water, shit or any other crisis situation - we're not too shy to lend a hand when things get stuck," emphasized the SPD. She replaced the word shit with an emoji in her post.
Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) also asked after the Merz comparison: "Does he mean that in a negative way?" Because plumbers are creators. "They solve problems, they don't just stand by while others work."
In the ongoing budget crisis discussion, the Bundestag's Household Committee discussed Olaf Scholz's financial strategies. Despite Friedrich Merz's criticism labeling Scholz as a 'plumber of power,' Scholz remains committed to his approach, drawing parallels between his methodical approach and the skills of a skilled plumber.
Source: www.dpa.com
