The chief of SPD expresses positivity towards the upcoming German parliamentary elections.
The "disappointing" outcome for the SPD in the state elections fails to meet their own expectations, as stated by Saskia Esken. Regardless, the Social Democrats plan to nominate Olaf Scholz as their chancellor candidate once more for the following federal election, expressing confidence in a victory.
In response to inquiries about Scholz's suitability as the party's chancellor nominee post-state elections, Esken affirmed that Scholz is a "strong federal chancellor" who will spearhead their campaign. Despite the SPD earning 7.3% and 6.1% of votes in Saxony and Thuringia respectively, they anticipate securing victory with Scholz at the helm.
Both the Greens and the FDP also experienced subpar results in the elections. Consequently, FDP's deputy chairperson, Wolfgang Kubicki, questioned the "legitimacy" of the coalition government at the federal level. Esken remains optimistic, stating that the government still has a multitude of tasks to complete and expressing confidence in their continued cooperation. According to Esken, national and international issues overshadowed local concerns in the state elections.
Non-traditional SPD strongholds
SPD General Secretary, Kevin Kühnert, admitted on WDR 5 radio that during the election campaign, "regrettably, local political issues barely surfaced." He suggested that federal and international politics overshadowed these issues and didn't serve as a motivator for his party.
Both Saxony and Thuringia are not typically strongholds for the SPD. "These aren't the best federal states to pronounce the federal government's demise," Kühnert remarked. Instead, the SPD's focus has now shifted towards the state of Brandenburg, where elections for a new state parliament are scheduled within about three weeks.
In the traffic light coalition in Berlin, the SPD has been engaging in self-reflection concerning their collaboration for some time. However, Kühnert acknowledges that there are limits to how much can be altered. As society becomes more diverse and an increasing number of parties are represented in parliament, government formations serve as "stress tests." This will now be observed in Thuringia and Saxony. "A four-party coalition is anticipated in Thuringia," Kühnert concluded.
The Commission, likely referring to the SPD's executive body, agreed with Kühnert's assessment of the state elections, recognizing the overshadowing of local issues by federal and international politics. Despite this, The Commission remains optimistic about the SPD's chances in the upcoming Brandenburg state elections.
