Woidke only wants to continue if he wins an election
Only a few more weeks remain until the election in Brandenburg. Polls show the AfD leading comfortably ahead of the SPD. However, incumbent premier Woidke remains optimistic and is betting everything on a win or bust strategy. He also explains why he's doing this.
Brandenburg's Minister President Dietmar Woidke has tied his political fate in office to a victory for the SPD in the state election. "My goal is to win against the AfD - and if I lose against the AfD, I'm out," the SPD's top candidate said in Potsdam. Woidke expressed optimism, given high popularity ratings, that the SPD could win the election in September. The SPD politician is one of the longest-serving government heads in Germany. He has been governing Brandenburg for over ten years, succeeding Matthias Platzeck.
The goal of winning the election is not new, but linking it to his own political future is. "I won't be negotiating with anyone if I end up in second or third place," Woidke said. "I won't be around - at least not in Brandenburg's state politics."
In the latest poll by Insa for Bild newspaper from mid-July, the SPD was in second place with 19 percent, behind the AfD (24 percent) and just ahead of the CDU (18 percent). The Left's alliance with Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) followed with 17 percent. Shortly before, a poll by Infratest dimap for RBB showed the SPD tied with the CDU at 19 percent, but still behind the AfD with 23 percent.
In terms of satisfaction with top politicians, Woidke scored 55 percent, far ahead of CDU candidate Jan Redmann (16 percent) and AfD candidate Hans-Christoph Berndt (9 percent). The SPD leader is therefore not relying on polls, but on his popularity. "The people of Brandenburg know me - and that's a crucial asset for the campaign," Woidke said.
SPD Campaign is All About Woidke
The SPD's campaign is heavily focused on the state leader. A large poster features him with the slogan "It's about Brandenburg." Another giant motif shows the 1.96-meter tall Woidke with the words "Brandenburg Needs Greatness" - the letters SPD are nowhere to be found. Issues like the economy and security will follow later in the campaign.
The premier also points to his record over the past years. Brandenburg has developed more successfully than most other states, he said, citing the Medical University of Lausitz, the railway works in Cottbus, and the state's economic growth, which has placed it among the top performers in recent years. "I want the people of the state to benefit more and more from the good developments here."
The opposition Left faction, which was the SPD's coalition partner from 2009 to 2019, reacted critically to Woidke's linking of his political future to the election victory. "Whoever truly wants to become Minister President must take responsibility, especially in these challenging times for all democratic forces," said the Left faction leader Sebastian Walter. "Not just when the results suit them."
Unlike in the 2017 campaign, the party is emphasizing personalization earlier this time. Back then, the SPD performed worse in postal voting than at polling stations - something they want to avoid this time. In 2017, the SPD surprisingly won the election with a clear lead over the AfD, despite trailing in polls for much of the campaign.
Given the SPD's poor poll numbers at the federal level, Brandenburg's Social Democrats are not counting on visits from Chancellor Olaf Scholz or other prominent figures. "We don't need borrowed prominence from other federal states or the federal level," Woidke said.
The focus of the SPD's campaign in the upcoming Elections to the Landtag of Brandenburg is on the incumbent premier Woidke, with large posters and slogans highlighting his leadership. Woidke is betting everything on a win or bust strategy, stating that he won't be negotiating with anyone if he finishes in second or third place.
