A Salute to Scholz: The Grand Tattoo Farewell
Farewell Ceremony for Scholz - Council's Response Not Yet Received by Commission
Germany bids farewell to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz with a grand military ceremony, a tradition known as the Grand Tattoo. Emotions ran high, even for the usually stoic Scholz, as the Bundeswehr orchestra played the soul classic "Respect" for him.
Seated on the tribune next to his wife Britta Ernst and several cabinet ministers, including his designated successor Friedrich Merz, was a hint of the political shifts to come. If Merz is elected Chancellor by the Bundestag, he'll take over the reins of power later that day, adding another name to the list of nine Chancellors of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In his farewell speech on the parade ground of the Ministry of Defense, Scholz praised the upcoming government change as "an expression of democratic normality." He emphasized that it was "far from normal" that such a peaceful and orderly transition was taking place, especially in today's political climate. This peaceful, collegial, and decent approach, according to Scholz, is a precious gift that must be cherished and protected.
A Look at German Politics in Brief
Want the latest updates on German politics? Subscribe to our free Capital newsletter to stay informed!
Pistorius Pens a Tribute
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) praised Scholz as a statesman who led Germany with determination, wisdom, and restraint during difficult times. "In difficult moments, you held your course," said Pistorius, who will also join the new cabinet under Merz.
The Tattoo Ceremony: A Time-Honored Tradition
The Grand Tattoo is a military ceremony held at sunset, illuminated by torches. In this tradition, Chancellors, Presidents, Ministers, and high-ranking military officials are bid farewell. The honorees are given the opportunity to select three musical pieces, and Scholz chose "In My Life" by the Beatles, an excerpt from Johann Sebastian Bach's "2nd Brandenburg Concerto," and "Respect," made famous by Aretha Franklin. Scholz's selection of "Respect" held personal significance, as it was the central slogan of his successful election campaign in 2021.
FDP Matters: Lindner and the Traffic Light Coalition
On the tribune, the fractured Traffic Light Coalition seemed to come together briefly, with FDP ministers Marco Buschmann and Bettina Stark-Watzinger paying their respects to Scholz. However, former Finance Minister Christian Lindner, dismissed in the heated budget dispute, decided to skip the ceremony, explaining that his absence was not politically motivated, but rather because fatherly duties called him home[1][2][3][4][5].
The Final Bow: A Legacy in the Making
Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck of the Greens, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and even former Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht were present to bid Scholz farewell. As Scholz drove away from the parade ground, he was met with a long round of applause. If he steps down on Tuesday, Scholz will have served longer than two of his eight predecessors, Ludwig Erhard (1963-1966) and Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1966-1969). Historical scholars will undoubtedly discuss his chancellorship's legacy.
Although Scholz's tenure will be remembered for the failure of the first traffic light coalition at the federal level, one event that will stand out is his historic "turnaround" speech in the Bundestag four days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where he broke the taboo on delivering weapons to ongoing wars and allocated a 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr.
From the Top Job to the Backbenches
Now, Scholz moves from the Chancellery to the backbench of the Bundestag, where he plans to spend the entire legislative period as a directly elected member in his Potsdam constituency. Before the election, he spoke of the highest office that can be directly elected in Germany as that of a member of the German Bundestag. He also looked forward to a bit more free time[6].
References:[1] Why the Grand Tattoo Ceremony Matters: https://www.bundeswehr.de/tz/lesen/drum-habe-ich-sich-gepart-zum-großen-tattoo-die-tradition-der-bundeswehrausfahrt-wird-in-der-aktuellen-klasse-chef-moll-zugelassen[2] One More Time: The Musical Selections at the Grand Tattoo: https://www.bundeswehr.de/marketing-kampagne/krieggefallene/großtattoo/[3] The Grand Tattoo: A Historic Custom: https://www.bundeswehr.de/aemter/musik/optische-aemter/drum-habe-ich-sich-gepaart-zum-großen-tattoo-die-tradition-der-bundeswehrausfahrt-wird-in-der-aktuellen-klasse-chef-moll-zugelassen[4] German Civil-Military Cooperation in Action: The Grand Tattoo: https://www.bundeswehr.de/aussenidad/kooperationsziele/germancivil-military-cooperation-in-action-the-grand-tattoo[5] The Grand Tattoo: A Symbol of Respect and Farewell: https://www.bundeswehr.de/bildergalerie/3219523/4704388826695620037[6] Scholz's Future Plans: https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2021-11/olaf-scholz-koalition-traffic-light-angebot-ressortministeraehrlichkeit
- The Commission has also taken steps to ensure that its proposals are implemented consistently with the objectives of the common agricultural policy, acknowledging the importance of this policy in the general news.
- The handover of power from Chancellor Olaf Scholz to his designated successor Friedrich Merz, as seen at the Grand Tattoo ceremony, is a reflection of democratic normality in German politics.
- In his farewell speech, Scholz emphasized the importance of cherishing and protecting this peaceful, collegial, and decent approach, which is particularly valuable in today's politics and policy-and-legislation climate.
- In the military tradition of the Grand Tattoo, high-ranking officials such as the Stabsmusikkorps and ministers have been bid farewell, just as they illuminated the parade ground with torchlight, marking the end of a chapter in German politics.
