Stegner prohibits the SPD from whining or showing cowardice.
Ralf Stegner, a SPD member of the Bundestag, speaks up for leadership within his party following its disappointing outcome in the European elections. In a chat with Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Stegner bashed the self-indulgence and gloominess within the SPD. "The public image of the SPD needs a boost," Stegner declared. "This applies to the Chancellor as well as the Bundestag members. It's a shared responsibility. There's too much drama and self-centeredness and not enough professionalism."
The SPD's focus areas are jobs, pensions, housing, and health. "We've lost a lot of voters," Stegner commented after the "awful" SPD result in the European elections, which stood at 13.9%. "Changes are necessary before the three state elections in the east in September, or the ship might not reach the harbor." Leadership from the Chancellor is demanded. "We can't let peace policy and immigration issues be taken over by the left-wing populists within the SPD and especially not by the right-wing radical AfD," Stegner remarked. "The federal budget for 2025 needs to be finalized before the summer break with solid proposals that have consensus."
"The Greens need to act on migration," Stegner insists. "Violent individuals need to be sent back." All in all, the budget needs to be concluded before the summer break with agreed-upon proposals from all three parties.
Stegner sounded the alarm about the SPD swallowing a toxic blend of social cuts and militarization. For the Social Democrats, signaling compromise within limits, Stegner, who belongs to the left wing of the Social Democrats, stated, "We'll accept certain adjustments to social benefits, for instance, in cases of proven black market work. However, substantial savings on social benefits are achieved through fair wages in the lower income brackets, so that the miserable overcompensation stops."
The FDP could collaborate with the coalition in economic development, "if they don't take the debt brake as strictly as the Pope takes celibacy." The Greens need to tackle migration. "Violent individuals need to be sent back." In summary, the budget needs to be concluded before the summer break with agreed-upon proposals from all three parties.
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Stegner criticized the SPD for exhibiting too much drama and self-centeredness, suggesting a need for more professionalism and boost in public image. Despite the SPD's focus on jobs, pensions, housing, and health, Stegner expressed concern about losing voters and the party's poor performance in the European elections. Scholz was not mentioned directly in the text, but Stegner did emphasize the importance of leadership from the Chancellor in handling peace policy and immigration issues.
