SPD: What can happen after the election debacle at the party conference

As if there wasn’t enough to discuss, a delicate decision could burst in the “City Cube” in Berlin on time for the three-day SPD party conference: Where is the minimum wage of 2026? At 15 euros, as the Social Democrats had asked for in the election campaign? Or far below?

The 600 delegates in the exhibition hall will also not lack the conversation substance if the minimum wage commission should decide their decision at short notice. The historical defeat in the Bundestag election (16.4 percent) has left traces, sometimes wounds. Emotional and controversial debates are expected, there are enough issues. What a special look is worth:

It starts on Friday afternoon with an extensive pronunciation about the reasons for the election debacle, guaranteed flanked by all sorts of suggestions, which in the SPD must now urgently change. The suspension is the leading application of the party board, the title “Change begins with us” a new SPD principle and should set a sign of self-criticism. Nevertheless, co-boss Lars Klingbeil has to expect a small memorial from the delegates in the evening. Then the party chair is newly elected.

The Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister has brought out a lot for his party in the formation of government, but also for himself-despite the historical election defeat, which he has as co-chair. Klingbeil’s critics complain of self -service mentality, a lack of humility and programmatic vision.

Bärbel Bas, who wants to be elected to his new partner at the SPD double tip, should be equipped with a better result-and Klingbeil with a worse vote than at the last election party congress 2023 (85.6 percent). Klingbeil’s result could be the indicator of how deep the frustration actually sits. However, the party would also harm a rich billing with the new strong man of the SPD and is therefore not to be expected.

It has become quiet around Olaf Scholz, since he has only represented his Potsdam constituency as a simple member of the Bundestag. How does the Chancellor look a. D. on the confusing and tense world situation? His SPD searching for orientation? And last but not least, the election defeat that is also his?

On Saturday morning, at 9 a.m., Scholz is officially adopted by the party congress. The former Chancellor will give a speech, a film specially produced for him will look back on his turbulent term. A gift is also presented: Scholz was allowed to choose a picture from the Willy Brandt House, the Berlin party headquarters. You can look forward to what he chose.

Saskia Esken also says goodbye, at least from the co-party chair, for whom she does not run again after five and a half years. The sometimes malicious way of dealing with her caused resentment in parts of the party, and Esken’s former Secretary General and the later co -chair Lars Klingbeil had also criticized the discussions about her person – after he had let her go for a long time. Klingbeil also brought in criticism.

A position in the black and red cabinet was denied, she is now heading the Education and Family Committee in the Bundestag. The social democrat is the heart of the social democrat, but it is also a consolation price: the outgoing SPD leader had dared to have a government office, as a party leader in fact, in fact, was entitled to it. Like Klingbeil. But the internal pressure was apparently too great.

A conciliatory speech by Esken (around 11.45 a.m.) is therefore not necessarily to be expected, but it should not be a settlement with your critics – but one or the other well -placed top. As for former Chancellor Scholz, a film review for Esken was produced, and there should also be a gift.

The application book is filled with 380 inputs, a whole handfully addressed directly or indirectly the current world situation. It could grind, for example, on the subject of compulsory military service. After all, the massive increase in defense spending in the SPD is already controversial, most recently a peace manifesto about ex-parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich had caused unrest.

The Jusos now want to prevent an initiative application, which is apparently being prepared in the Department of Defense by Boris Pistorius: a military service model that is also supposed to contain compulsory elements. “We reject the reintroduction of compulsory military service or a mandatory military service,” says the application of the SPD youngsters. That should also impress party left. A corresponding decision would restrict Pistorius’s scope.

Positioning on the events in Middle East should also be discussed controversially. The party executive will develop a draft resolution, which is probably to be debated on Saturday afternoon. An application from the board of directors to prepare an AfD ban on Sunday on Sunday should be clearly unanimously advised. However, the project has met with enormous skepticism from the coalition partner CDU/CSU and could still ensure conflict fuel in the black and red or her.