SPD's left wing challenges Scholz and his leadership team
The ruling party's leader might be chosen by her, but her latest election results are less than stellar: The SPD is struggling to maintain approval ratings. As a result, the Left Party is mulling over a membership drive to refocus on key matters such as rent, labor, and education.
The SPD's Left wing is contemplating a membership drive following the election setbacks in the European elections. As the co-chair of the SPD's Left wing faction "DL21," Jan Dieren, put it to the "Tagesspiegel," "We need to debate independently of government politics within the Social Democracy about what kind of society we want in the future." They're actively considering this membership drive.
The Left wing aims to spark controversial discussions. "The next budget is something we can fundamentally debate, whether the Social Democracy should support austerity policies at this time," says Dieren. Topics related to labor, housing, and education policy could also be raised. "This could inject some much-needed energy into the debate, which the SPD could only benefit from if they stick to their core issues."
"One advantage is that all members can participate and rally the party's broad support," believes the Bundestag MP. The Left wing hopes to revive some dormant discussions within the party. "Many of us have noticed during the campaign that more and more people, even some within the SPD, are turning their backs on the SPD's actual work," Dieren adds.
The Left wing also reminds everyone of the results from the 2019 European elections, which led to the resignation of the party chair, Andrea Nahles. The subsequent membership decision on the new party leadership resulted in a significant mobilization within the party.
Tackling wealth disparity
According to Dieren, the SPD's weakness and the strength of right-wing parties are interconnected. "What working people feel," he said, "is that they can no longer trust the SPD." Consequently, the Social Democrats need to address economic issues more forcefully and convincingly: "The SPD must stand more firmly for fair wages, fight for more democracy in the workplace, make affordable housing a reality, and combat wealth inequality," says Dieren.
At the summer conference of the party convention in Berlin, plans for the future will be discussed under the banner "Our solution to the right-wing shift." The "DL21" has around 1200 members and approximately 30 Bundestag MPs. For a membership drive, at least 4000 supporters from ten party districts are needed first. Then, within three months, at least 20% of the members must agree on an online platform.
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The European elections resulted in challenging times for the SPD, prompting the Left wing to consider a membership drive to revive discussions on budget policy and other key issues. In response to the SPD's decline in approval ratings, the Left wing is advocating for a focus on topics like fair wages, affordable housing, and combating wealth inequality.
