German Cartoonist René Goscinny's Isnogud Figure Invoked in Analysis of Jens Spahn's Political Retreat

The French cartoonist René Goscinny, best known as the co-creator of Asterix, also created a less famous but more contemporary character: Isnogud, the Grand Vizier whose entire ambition is to become "Caliph instead of the Caliph." In the 1970s stories, the realm administrator "Ist-Nicht-Gut" functions as a timeless archetype of the career politician emptied of substance. He constantly devises intrigues meant to advance his own career and harm his master, and these schemes consistently fail — yet each time Isnogud manages to convince the Caliph that all these sinister activities ultimately served him. The article draws a parallel between this figure and Jens Spahn, noting that Spahn has survived numerous affairs involving a luxury villa, masks, and a surrogate mother. Following a trip to Sardinia, Spahn has withdrawn from the Bundestag's Budget Committee. The piece argues that anyone wanting to understand how things will continue for Spahn should read this 1970s comic, pointing to the striking resemblance between the politician and Goscinny's invented character.