German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised US Vice President Kamala Harris as a “competent and experienced” politician who could well win the US election, but he stopped short of showing support for the pre-candidate.
Scholz had been outspoken in his endorsement of Joe Biden before the Democrat abandoned his re-election bid last weekend and endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party’s nominee to face Trump in the November election.
Many German politicians fear that Trump could impose higher tariffs on imports if he returns to office, and have raised questions about US support for the NATO military alliance.
Germany was often the focus of Trump’s ire during his first term due to its trade surplus with the United States and low defense spending. In recent years, however, Berlin has increased its defense spending.
“The US election campaign will certainly be exciting, now with a new cast and a new constellation,” said Scholz at an annual press conference this Wednesday (24).
“I think it’s very possible that Kamala Harris will win the election, but American voters will decide.”
Scholz said he had met Harris several times.
“This is a competent and experienced politician who knows exactly what she is doing,” he said. “She knows what she wants and what she can do.”
Separately, Scholz defended his government’s economic policy and assured that he would be running for re-election in next year’s federal vote despite low poll scores.
Asked if, like Biden, he might consider resigning his bid for re-election, he quipped: “Thanks for the very nice and friendly question.”
“And no, the SPD is a very united party. We are all determined to go into the next general election campaign together and win. And I’m going to run as chancellor to be chancellor again.”
Scholz, 66, has seen his personal popularity, along with that of his coalition, plummet since taking office in late 2021. Polls frequently place him behind the leader of the opposition Conservatives.
The chancellor has already faced a series of major crises. In particular, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting influx of over a million refugees and the end of cheap Russian gas imports on which the German economy depended.
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