Leading politicians from the SPD - Woidke links political future to election victory
Brandenburg's Minister President Dietmar Woidke ties his political fate in office to a victory for his SPD in the September state election. "My goal is to win against the AfD - and if I lose against the AfD, I'm out," said the SPD's top candidate in Potsdam.
"I won't negotiate with anyone if I end up in second or third place," Woidke said, expressing optimism about the SPD's chances of winning the election given high popularity ratings.
Unlike the election campaign five years ago, the party is focusing more on personalization earlier on. "The people of Brandenburg know me - and that's a significant asset for the campaign," he said.
Woidke is one of the longest-serving government heads in Germany. He has been in power for over a decade. The SPD's election campaign is heavily centered on the Minister President and state chairman. A large poster features him with the slogan "It's about Brandenburg." Another motif shows the 1.96-meter-tall Woidke with the inscription "Brandenburg needs greatness" - without the letters SPD.
A new state parliament will be elected in Brandenburg on September 22. In the latest poll by Insa for the "Bild" newspaper in mid-July, the SPD was in second place with 19 percent, behind the AfD with 24 percent and just ahead of the CDU with 18 percent. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) came in fourth with 17 percent.
Woidke mentioned that he wouldn't engage in negotiations if the SPD ended up in second or third place in the Landtag elections, indicating his strong commitment to the party's victory. The SPD's election campaign in Brandenburg heavily relies on the persona and popularity of Minister President Woidke, with slogans like "It's about Brandenburg" and "Brandenburg needs greatness" promoting him as a key figure.
