during his period in the foreign ministry, stresemann came more and more to accept the republic, which he had at first rejected. by the mid-1920s, having contributed much to a (temporary) consolidation of the feeble democratic order, stresemann was regarded as a "vernunftrepublikaner" (republican by reason) - someone who accepted the republic as the least of all evils, but was in their heart still loyal to the monarchy. the conservative opposition criticized him for his supporting the republic and fulfilling too willingly the demands of the western powers. along with matthias erzberger and others, he was attacked as an "erfüllungspolitiker" ("fulfillment politician").