New election: SPD is increasingly under pressure to make a decision on the K issue

In the SPD, the pressure to make a decision on the question of the candidacy for chancellor is increasing. After days of discussion about whether incumbent Olaf Scholz or Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is the better candidate for the upcoming new election, the SPD leadership wants to discuss it in the evening. According to an SPD spokeswoman, the switch is “a regular telephone conference with the deputy party leaders to organize the early election campaign in terms of dates and deadlines.”

The party chairmen Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, general secretary Matthias Miersch and the deputy party chairmen are expected to take part in the conversation. As things stand, Scholz is not there. His return flight from the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro is planned for the evening German time.

Schröder and Gabriel speak out

Meanwhile, former party leaders Gerhard Schröder and Sigmar Gabriel also joined the debate. Former Chancellor Schröder warned against dismantling his own Chancellor. Former SPD leader Gabriel, on the other hand, pointed out grassroots resistance to “business as usual”. Thuringia’s SPD leader Georg Maier, a state chairman, also moved away from Scholz.

Scholz a natural candidate?

The incumbent wants to run again for the SPD in the new elections scheduled for February 23rd; the SPD leadership and cabinet members of the SPD have supported him so far. Deputy SPD leader Anke Rehlinger told “Stern” that he was the natural candidate as chancellor. Scholz’s spokesman recently made a similar statement. The deputy federal chairwoman Serpil Midyatli told the “Kieler Nachrichten”: “The SPD and Olaf Scholz are ready and are running to win the election.” However, the party executive committee has not yet made a decision for Scholz.

Pistorius with better poll numbers

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is significantly more popular in surveys. In the past few days, more and more SPD politicians at local, state and federal levels have openly spoken out in favor of Pistorius’ candidacy. He himself made the comments when asked on Monday evening at an event organized by the Bayern Media Group in Passau. “In politics you should never rule anything out, no matter what it is about,” he said.

But he also said: “Firstly, since I am a deeply loyal person, and secondly, my life plan never included becoming Defense Minister or even Federal Chancellor, I will do a damn thing and say to myself: I’ll do it, I’ll run for office now. No “You won’t hear that from me. I’m a party soldier.” Pistorius added: “That’s not part of my life plan and, to be honest, it doesn’t have to be.”

Schröder: Debate harms everyone

“At the base of the SPD, resistance to “business as usual” with Chancellor Scholz is increasing every day. And the SPD leadership can only think of reassurances and addresses of devotion,” wrote Gabriel at X. Courageous political leadership is now required. Anyone who lets this continue will bring the SPD below 15 percent, he warned. Thuringia’s SPD state leader Maier told the Editorial Network Germany (RND) that Scholz is being held partly responsible for the failure of the traffic light coalition by the population, through no fault of his. “Against this background, the question naturally arises as to whether, from the party’s perspective, a change in the candidate for chancellor would not be better.”

Former Chancellor Schröder considers the discussion as a whole to be harmful for the SPD. “Any debate about an incumbent Chancellor who cannot be replaced hurts everyone,” he told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. “The party can’t dismantle its own chancellor.” He attested to Scholz that he was “doing a proper job”.

The Bundestag member and spokesman for the SPD’s internal current Network Berlin, Armand Zorn, spoke out in favor of Scholz – the network is considered one of three currents within the SPD parliamentary group, alongside the Parliamentary Left and the Seeheimer Circle. Scholz took over the reins of government in difficult times, Zorn told the German Press Agency. “Now it’s time to continue this work with Olaf Scholz.” He assumes that the party committees will soon clarify the issue of the chancellor.

If necessary, decide in a night meeting

From the perspective of former SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, the party should no longer take much time to clarify the K question. Those responsible must “please decide quickly,” demanded Walter-Borjans in the “Rheinische Post,” “if necessary in a night meeting.” According to the current plan, the party leadership’s decision should be made by an “election victory conference” on November 30th, at which the candidate for chancellor will be presented. A party conference on January 11th is expected to confirm the decision.