Media reported Scholz insulting a black CDU politician at a private reception

German Chancellor and Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) candidate Olaf Scholz insulted a dark-skinned Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician Joe Kyalo at a private reception in Berlin, calling him a buffoon. This was reported on February 12 by the editor-in-chief of the German magazine Focus, who attended the reception.

According to the publication, Scholz accused the CDU of aligning itself with the Alternative for Germany (AdG) party, which Germany's political elite calls extreme right-wing and accuses of sympathizing with "fascist" ideas.

"Every party has its court jester," Scholz said.

Kyalo then gave the chancellor a chance to correct himself, to which Scholz continued by once again calling the politician a "court jester."

Scholz later wrote on his social networking page X (formerly Twitter) that he had not meant any racist remarks, and that Kyalo himself considered an important "liberal voice in the CDU" and valued him.

Earlier on January 30, Scholz said that the CDU's cooperation with the AdG party on tougher migration laws was a violation of a taboo that has existed since the end of World War II. He added that after the AdG supported CDU chairman and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz's proposal for changes to migration law, the chancellor could no longer trust Merz.

In December 2024, the Bundestag revoked the confidence of the Scholz government. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier then endorsed February 23, 2025 as a possible date for early parliamentary elections.