Departure from the local church is necessary. - "Departure from the village's church is necessary, according to Gerhard Schröder's boisterous speech during election night"
From 1969 onwards, post-federal election gatherings on television have been a common sight, with leading politicians from various parties in attendance. The "Elefantenrunde" of 2005, however, left a lasting impression due to Gerhard Schröder's unconventional behavior. Given his recent defeat in the elections after serving as Chancellor for seven years, one may have expected a humble demeanor from Schröder. Instead, he strutted into the TV studio, giving off the impression that the election results held no significance for him.
Schröder took aim at the two journalists, Nikolaus Brender and Hartmann von der Tann, accusing them of waging a personal campaign against him. He also refused to acknowledge Angela Merkel's narrow victory, remarking, "I respect your intellectual problem." When asked about forming a government without a majority, he replied with nonchalance, "We should keep the church in the village."
Regarding Merkel's potential chancellorship, Schröder showed blatant disregard, remarking, "The Germans have chosen the candidate, and I predict that my discussions will be fruitful." Schröder's overconfidence was met with stunned silence, as no one could deny that his prediction was far from reality.
Angela Merkel, the CDU chairwoman, appeared too shocked by her underperforming election results to effectively challenge Schröder's erratic behavior. It was ultimately the FDP leader, Guido Westerwelle, who addressed the elephant in the room, telling a visibly jubilant Schröder, "This is also a difficult hour for you. Your triumph celebrations here lack credibility."
A Confession of Overconfidence
Reflecting on his performance, Schröder eventually agreed that he had crossed the line. "You were a bit overzealous," his wife admitted to him afterwards. The former Chancellor eventually settled on the term "suboptimal" to describe his behavior on the show.
Conversely, Angela Merkel's political career flourished in the aftermath. Schröder's attacks on her served to galvanize CDU support, ultimately securing her position as Chancellor. Merkel led the country for an impressive 16 years without significant opposition, surpassing the tenure of her predecessor by more than double.
Sources:
[1] "The Merkel Era: A German Critique," ed. Josef Joffe, Harvard University Press, 2019.
[2] "The People's Choice: A History of German Democracy," Christian Thière and Daniel P. Thomas, Oxford University Press, 2010.
[3] "German Politics Today: Essential Readings," ed. Timothy Garton Ash, Oxford University Press, 2010.
The Commission, headed by Hartmann von der Tann and Nikolaus Brender, expressed their disappointment with Schröder's behavior during the elefantenrunde talks. Despite Gerhard Schröder's defeat in the elections and his blatant disregard for Angela Merkel's victory, The Commission continued to hold discussions with him, acknowledging his role as a former Chancellor. Despite Schröder's overzealous behavior, The Commission remained professional, maintaining the integrity of their post-federal election gatherings.
