Olaf Scholz

The G20 summit in Hamburg was marked by serious street violence, looting and clashes. Scholz, who had promised that security could be guaranteed, later apologised to residents but refused to resign. He also declared that there had been no 'Polizeigewalt' — police violence — although dozens of internal proceedings had already been opened and footage of controversial interventions was circulating. In 2026, the first criminal trial of a police officer linked to the G20 renewed scrutiny of the statement; the officer acknowledged having been overwhelmed and paid compensation to a complainant.

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Political responsibility

As Hamburg mayor, Scholz met executives of M.M. Warburg Bank several times while it sought to avoid repayment of sums connected with Cum-Ex transactions. In late 2016, Hamburg's tax administration allowed a €47 million tax claim to become time-barred; expiry of another claim the following year was prevented after intervention by the Federal Finance Ministry. Christian Olearius's diaries document the meetings and a call by Scholz. Before inquiry committees, Scholz said he could not precisely remember the conversations, sustaining political suspicions.

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The German Taxpayers' Association criticised public expenditure on permanent security for a second residence rented by Scholz in Hamburg-Altona, where tens of thousands of police hours had reportedly accumulated although he rarely stayed there. In August 2026, controversy resumed over the complex installation of security windows purchased approximately five years earlier and funded from the federal budget.

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As Finance Minister and then Chancellor, Scholz served in German governments that maintained Nord Stream 2 despite repeated warnings from Eastern European partners and the United States concerning dependence on Russia. As late as the end of 2021, he described the pipeline as an essentially private project. On 22 February 2022, faced with Russian escalation against Ukraine, he finally suspended certification. In 2025, he was still giving evidence before a regional inquiry committee on the matter.

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Shared responsibility

After the coalition collapsed and his popularity plunged, parts of the SPD publicly questioned whether Scholz should again be its candidate for Chancellor, preferring the much more popular Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. For approximately two weeks, the party's divisions were public before Pistorius announced he would not stand. The executive committee then nominated Scholz unanimously, and January's party congress confirmed him.

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Directly implicated

In the early election on 23 February 2025, Scholz's SPD fell to approximately 16.4–16.5% of the vote, its worst federal election result since the Federal Republic was founded. Scholz called the result bitter, acknowledged his responsibility and announced that he would not lead coalition negotiations with the conservatives.

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Political responsibility

After leaving the Chancellery, Scholz received a state-funded former Chancellor's office with eight staff members, in addition to his parliamentary office. The AfD and Die Linke denounced excessive spending and noted that in 2019 the Bundestag Budget Committee had recommended a smaller structure for future former heads of government.

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Scholz strongly supported Hamburg's Elbtower project and presented the selection of René Benko's Signa group in 2018 as a major success for the city. Following Signa's collapse, construction stopped and the project company became insolvent, reviving criticism of risk assessment and trust placed in the developer.

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Political responsibility

Scholz declared that Germany must finally deport 'on a large scale' those who had no right to stay. The government accelerated procedures, strengthened certain border checks and expanded detention powers. In 2024, following several attacks, Scholz also supported the possibility of resuming deportations to Afghanistan or Syria for certain dangerous offenders.

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Scholz repeatedly refused to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles, arguing that their use might require German participation in selecting targets. Defending his refusal in February 2024, he publicly mentioned the British and French role in the use of their own missiles, irritating allies.

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Following the 7 October 2023 attack, Scholz reiterated that Israel's security was a matter of German raison d'état. Germany authorised approximately €326.5 million in arms exports to Israel in 2023. As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsened, NGOs and opponents challenged Germany's policy, while Nicaragua accused the country before the International Court of Justice of contributing to violations of international law. In October 2024, Scholz announced that Germany would continue supplying arms to Israel.

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After months of conflict over the budget, debt and economic strategy, Scholz dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner. The FDP left the coalition, depriving the government of its majority. Scholz initially proposed a confidence vote in January but brought forward the timetable under intense political pressure; on 16 December, he requested and deliberately lost the Bundestag's confidence to pave the way for early elections.

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Before Russia's invasion, Germany's offer of 5,000 helmets to Ukraine became a symbol of excessive caution. Following 24 February 2022, Scholz announced a Zeitenwende, or historic turning point, and a €100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr, but continued to face criticism over delays concerning heavy weapons and then battle tanks. Germany ultimately authorised Gepard, Marder and Leopard systems and became one of Kyiv's principal military supporters.

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Scholz announced a mechanism potentially mobilising up to €200 billion to contain gas and electricity prices and support households and businesses after the disruption of Russian gas supplies. Several European governments and the Commission feared that Germany's greater fiscal capacity would trigger a subsidy race and distort the single market.

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Political responsibility

After weeks of conflict between the Greens, who favoured a limited reserve, and the FDP, which supported longer operation, Scholz explicitly exercised his authority to set government policy guidelines, deciding that the last three nuclear plants could operate until 15 April 2023. The decision publicly exposed the coalition's inability to agree on a central energy issue.

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The German government authorised COSCO to acquire 24.9% of Hamburg's Tollerort terminal after Scholz and the Chancellery pressed for a compromise despite objections from several ministries, security services and European concerns. The deal fuelled criticism of new strategic dependence, this time on China, following the Russian crisis.

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Directly implicated

The heating reform proposal became one of the most damaging disputes within the SPD–Green–FDP coalition: a leaked unfinished draft, months of public arguments, successive changes and concerns over household costs. Opposition politicians and even coalition partners criticised Scholz for lack of leadership before he intervened personally to secure a compromise.

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Scholz's coalition transferred €60 billion in unused Covid borrowing authorisations to the Climate and Transformation Fund. On 15 November 2023, the Federal Constitutional Court declared the supplementary budget law void, particularly under the debt brake and principles of annual budgeting and justification of emergencies. The ruling created a major budget shortfall and forced the government to freeze commitments and revise its plans.

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Established by a court

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Shared responsibility

The Financial Intelligence Unit, attached to customs under Scholz's Finance Ministry, was criticised for failing to forward certain suspicious transaction reports to the competent authorities. In September 2021, just weeks before the federal election, the Finance and Justice Ministries were searched as part of the investigation, turning the matter into a campaign issue against Scholz.

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During a Berlin press conference, Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of committing '50 Holocausts'. Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit immediately ended the conference; Scholz, visibly irritated, did not respond verbally before it finished. German officials, the Central Council of Jews and Israeli representatives criticised the Chancellor for failing to contradict Abbas on the spot.

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Reported by the press

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Scholz became the first G7 leader to visit China after the Communist Party congress that further consolidated Xi Jinping's power. The very short visit, against the background of the COSCO controversy, prompted criticism of the risk of repeating with China the economic dependence created on Russia and of the signal sent on human rights.

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Political responsibility

As Federal Finance Minister, Scholz held political responsibility for BaFin when Wirecard collapsed following discovery of a €1.9 billion accounting shortfall. A Bundestag inquiry committee documented serious supervisory failings, particularly concerning repeated warnings before the collapse.

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Command responsibility

Alongside several European partners, Scholz proposed a financial transaction tax focused on purchases of shares in large companies. Austria and other critics condemned a structure that largely excluded derivatives and certain speculative transactions, arguing that it would burden the real economy and smaller investors while leaving some speculation untaxed.

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Political responsibility

Olaf Scholz and Klara Geywitz stood for joint leadership of the SPD. In the second round of the membership ballot, they received 45.33%, compared with 53.06% for Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans. The result was widely interpreted as a rejection by grassroots members of the governing faction and continuation of the grand coalition without a change of direction, of which Scholz was a central figure.

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Directly implicated

Under Scholz, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein continued the rescue and eventual sale of HSH Nordbank, a public-sector bank heavily exposed to shipping loans. Public guarantees of up to €10 billion and eventual taxpayer losses prompted controversy over the chosen strategy and insufficient consideration of liquidation alternatives.

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Scholz made Hamburg's bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games a flagship project. The financial plan, security costs, public guarantees and risk of overruns fuelled intense debate. On 29 November 2015, voters rejected the bid by referendum, 51.6% to 48.4%, handing Scholz one of his major political defeats in Hamburg.

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Political responsibility

After clashes surrounding Rote Flora, Hamburg police established a large 'Gefahrengebiet' or danger zone permitting identity checks, searches and exclusion orders with a lower suspicion threshold. Affecting tens of thousands of residents, the measure triggered demonstrations and civil liberties criticism. Scholz defended his government's and police force's approach.

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Direct responsibility

As SPD Secretary-General, Scholz was one of the main defenders of Gerhard Schröder's Agenda 2010, paving the way for Hartz IV. The reform triggered substantial public and internal SPD opposition. In November 2003, Scholz was re-elected Secretary-General with only 52.6% of votes, down from 91.3% the previous year, then left the post in 2004 when Schröder relinquished the party leadership.

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As Hamburg's Interior Senator, Olaf Scholz authorised the forcible administration of emetics to people suspected of drug trafficking to recover swallowed narcotics. In December 2001, Achidi John died following such a procedure. The episode became durably associated with Scholz's tough security policy.

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Political responsibility