"Merkel kept the consensus, but Putin broke it. And Scholz could not forge unity in his party or the public," said James Bindenagel, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany and visiting distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund. "He did not successfully manage the country's three critical dependencies: cheap Russian energy, Chinese markets and American security."
The latest opinion polls suggest a rightward shift in the results - and a next chancellor who would cut welfare benefits, take a harder line on migration policy and lift restrictions on weapons use by Ukraine.
As chancellor, Scholz is perhaps best known internationally for his declaration, after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, of a "turning point" in Germany's attitude toward military power.
Ultimately, Scholz's position was imperiled by a fracturing of his governing coalition and fights over economic and financial policy.
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