Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann can confidently be described as an interesting politician. The Liberals have long since become the most important defense expert and are always quick-witted and self-ironic. The 66-year-old FDP top candidate is currently advertising for the European elections as “Grandma Courage”. Not everyone would do it either.
Of all places, she is making a serious mistake on her very own field. Once again, Strack-Zimmermann has stepped aside and agreed to a motion from the opposition that calls on the Chancellor to finally deliver the Taurus to Ukraine. Of course, there are many reasons for the delivery of the cruise missiles and even more reasons to be annoyed by Olaf Scholz’s stubbornness on this issue. But with her solo number, Strack-Zimmermann neither increases the pressure on the Chancellor nor does she demonstrate any particular courage.
Instead, firstly, it breaks down the solidarity of its own people. There are many in the FDP who would deliver the Taurus immediately and would prefer to let the coalition discipline on this issue go. But if everyone did that, the traffic light alliance would probably be history. By taking advantage of what has been denied to others, Strack-Zimmermann makes her party friends look like discouraged opportunists, like the Chancellor’s little poodles. This will be remembered in the FDP.
Secondly, Strack-Zimmermann’s behavior is damaging the cause for which she is actually fighting, namely to get the Chancellor to rethink the Taurus issue. Nothing helps the man whose chancellorship is hanging by a thread these days as much as an escalation in this debate. The louder the call for cruise missiles, the easier it is for Scholz to portray himself as a level-headed head of government. The shriller the discussion, the more he seems like a haven of calm who – unlike his critics – takes into account the risk of a world war and the emotional state of the population.
Scholz, who staggered through the debate for months with erratic arguments, has his critics exactly where he wants them: in the corner of the supposed warmongers. The “peace election campaign” is in full swing.
Strack-Zimmermann is not a warmonger. In the past two years, like no one else, she has managed to push aid for Ukraine to the top of the agenda through clever arguments and public pressure. She always argued the case.
With her Taurus vote she now wants to ensure that the Chancellor is isolated. In reality, she is doing him a huge favor.
