In his memoir posthumously released 3½ months after his demise, Wolfgang Schäuble, a former German finance minister and president of the Bundestag, admitted that Germany was “massively misled” in its dealings with Vladimir Putin. Though the politician, who passed away from cancer in December, had few issues to settle in his book, he did not entirely agree with the strategies of Angela Merkel.
Schäuble, fondly remembering his accomplishments and ambiguous fiscal record, mentioned that his most significant and influential decision during his tenure was selecting Merkel as the general secretary of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1998. Despite her taking over as party leader in 2000 amidst a donation scandal, Schäuble stated he never regretted this decision, despite preferring a leadership methodology involving fewer compromises. He further praised Merkel’s balanced approach to politics which fostered trust and declared her period as a remarkable time of pragmatic politics. He left it to the annals of history to decide Merkel’s place.
In his memoir, Schäuble listed Russia among his few political regrets. Echoing the sentiments of many leading German politicians, he confessed their outlook towards Russia was “completely misguided.” He had initially believed that strengthening ties with Russia would cultivate a genuine peace partnership.
In a statement that appears as a stern warning from beyond the grave to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Schäuble emphasized that history’s lessons from two devastating world wars obligate us to tangible defend freedom. He advocated being primed for every eventuality to prevent any catastrophic occurrences.
Schäuble’s memoir also highlights his health struggles during the euro crisis, oscillating between hospitals and Brussels’ meeting rooms. A period he recognized as being fraught with political hurdles that tested his loyalty to the chancellor. His initial optimism about the euro crisis being a chance to finalize fiscal and monetary unification was dashed when it became apparent that Merkel was not on board.
After repairing trust following the collapse of the European constitution, Merkel showed no desire to engage in any more conflict over treaty alterations, neither with EU partners nor within a CDU where skepticism over progressing European assimilation had intensified.
Dr. Schäuble’s dubious 2015 plan to provisionally remove Greece from the eurozone in order to enforce economic overhauls drew criticism from Merkel. She countered his arguments stating that she would only agree with such a move if the French President, François Hollande, concurred, which he didn’t. Ireland’s distinct situation and austerity measures, during the crisis weren’t specifically highlighted in his memoir. Nonetheless, as a trained lawyer, Schäuble accepted his alias of being a “rule fetishist” in times of crisis, believing that he acted in the interests of the longer-term stability of the eurozone.
In relation to the 2015 refugee crisis, the German politician supported Merkel’s open-border policy. However, he felt she should have been more transparent about the long-term implications this would have for the citizens.
His daughter, Christine, recalls the harrowing moment in 1990 when her father was shot at a constituency meeting. Upon awakening and realising his paralysis, he questioned why they had not let him die. But he never wished anyone to pity him or define him by his disability.
After an extensive political career spanning 51 years as a Member of Parliament and a fierce advocate for the EU, Dr. Schäuble increasingly recognised the need for cautiousness in making changes in Europe. He noted that the unifying elements of nations are powerful, and such bonds are essential for the stability of their democracies.