Why the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine is dividing Germany

In Germany they are called “die Leos”, the Leos. Quite simply, as they occupy the front of the news. And so much they divide. Yesterday, January 25, Olaf Scholz explained during a question and answer session in the Bundestag, then on the public television channel ZDF, why he had finally decided to send the famous hyper-modern Leopard 2 combat tanks to kyiv.

And why he had, by the same token, given the green light to the European countries which possess them and also wish to reinforce the Ukrainian troops: Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, the Baltic countries. “We are following our well-known line of conduct, justified the Chancellor, which consists in supporting Ukraine with all our strength, by acting in a concerted and coordinated manner at the international level.”

Taken the day before, the Chancellor’s decision had been awaited for weeks, and is still interpreted differently in Parliament today. If the Christian Democrats speak of “tergiversations” – “why not having made this announcement three days earlier in Paris with Emmanuel Macron, would that have made sense?”, within the government coalition we speak of “necessary strategic reflection” and “tactics” of the chancellery.

Social Democrats and Greens in particular point out that Berlin does not want to engage alone and one day be held responsible for a possible escalation. Other capitals had to make a formal commitment. Scholz confirmed to the Bundestag that he “had spoken” with Joe Biden, with whom, he insisted, he “gets along very well”. And, in fact, Washington has just announced that it will send Abrams tanks to the Ukrainian front.

Leopard 1s would do just as well.

“We welcome the Chancellor’s announcement, points out the Christian Democrat deputy armament specialist, Roderick Keisewetter, but it came very late, which is detrimental to Germany, giving an image of hesitation and irresolution. ” The deputy also underlines that Parliament had “by a large majority” given the green light to Scholz as early as April to supply kyiv with heavy weapons. “We lost ten months.” Other critics are harsher among the elected members of the lower house. On the left (die Linke), as on the right (AfD), the extremes have not finished denouncing “an escalation which wants to have catastrophic consequences.”

Read alsoFrom Lambrecht to Pistorius: Germany changes defense minister

The world of defense has of course also reacted. A spokesman for the Bundeswehr went on all the television channels to explain that the German army already has equipment problems and that it is not reasonable to undress Pierre to dress Paul. Former NATO general, the very media Egon Ramms, sums it up: “the Leopards will not change the course of the war, but they are symbolically important.” The officer would also like to point out that the previous generation Leopard 1s “are available, very modern and just as efficient.”

Concerned but hesitant public opinion

As for public opinion, it is as divided as its elected members in Parliament. According to the survey DeutschlandTrend of last week, they are 46% to approve the shipment of Leopard, 43% to oppose it. Those over 65 are in favor of it at 52%. the Trendbarometer published on January 24, the day of the announcement, gives 44% of our neighbors for, 45% against. Green sympathizers are in favor of it at 62%, Christian Democrats at 52%, Social Democrats at 45%, Liberals at 46%. The members of the Afd are fiercely opposed to them, at 89%.

The recent study Forsa completes this feeling of indecision for which Scholz has long been reproached. 26% of Germans think the Leopards will help end the war and 26% that they will make it worse.