Chancellor Olaf Scholz.Image: trapezoid
November 21, 2024 22:16November 21, 2024 23:31
Following the resignation of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the executive committee of Germany's Social Democratic Party will nominate German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as its candidate for chancellor in the new Bundestag election to be held next Monday. “We will now clarify soon in the committees, and on Monday in the party executive committee: We want to discuss the next election dispute with Olaf Scholz,” party chairman Lars Klingber said at a party meeting in Berlin the Executive Committee said after deliberating the numbers.
Pistorius had previously cleared the way for the prime minister to run again after a contentious public debate within the Social Democrats. He informed the party and parliamentary group leadership that he was unable to run for office. “This is my sovereign, my personal decision.”
Pistorius: “Olav Scholz is a strong chancellor”
Pistorius, meanwhile, publicly backed Scholz as a candidate for prime minister. “Olav Scholz is a strong chancellor and he is the right person to be chancellor.” He has led a difficult three-party coalition through what may be the biggest crisis in recent decades. “Olav Scholz stands for reason and prudence.” This is especially important in times of crisis like this.
Scholz's nomination is scheduled for Monday at a regular meeting of the party's executive committee. In the evening, board members connected digitally. Meanwhile, the SPD chancellor first met Scholz at the Lower Saxony state representative office, and was later joined by the party leadership.
Pistorius called on his party to end candidate debates immediately. It has led to increased uncertainty for the SPD and angered voters. Pistorius said it was a shame for the Social Democrats. “I didn't start this debate, I don't want to, and I'm not part of the conversation for anything. We now have a collective responsibility to end this debate. Because there's so much at stake.”
The debate begins with Mutzenich and the “sensation” within the party
The collapse of the traffic light coalition comes amid growing debate within the Social Democrats over whether it would not be better to run with Pistorius. Given his significantly higher approval ratings and better electoral chances, an increasing number of SPD politicians at local, state and federal levels are openly supporting him.
The SPD leadership had backed Scholz, but they initially did not nominate him as chancellor candidate after deciding to hold new elections on February 23. The public debate began when Rolf Mützenich, leader of the Social Democratic Party's parliamentary group, issued a statement saying that there was “discussion” within the party about the K issue.
Pistorius just wants to rule out becoming pope
Pistorius did nothing to stop them for several days. On the contrary: “In politics you should never exclude anything, no matter what it is,” the SPD politician said on Monday at an event organized by the Bavarian media group in Passau. “The only thing I can rule out for sure is that I will become pope,” he added with a wink. However, Pistorius later also talked about the candidacy of finance minister: “It was not in my life plan and, to be honest, it was not necessary.”
Scholz made his claim early on
Scholz himself had already announced his case in July, long before the collapse of the Traffic Light Alliance: “As chancellor, I will run for chancellor again,” he said at the time. He hasn't repeated this statement explicitly in the past few days – obviously so as not to give the impression that he wants to choose himself.
The party congress will vote on the candidate for prime minister on January 11, following nominations from the 34-member party executive committee. Usually this is a formality. The candidates' first official speech is scheduled to take place earlier: on November 30 at the “Elector Victory Conference” in Berlin.
Social Democrats need to catch up to succeed
Scholz will have to make an extreme comeback if he wants to be re-elected. In surveys, the SPD currently stands at between 14% and 16%, trailing the AfD at 18% to 19% and well behind federal chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz. CDU), with support ranging between 32% and 34%.
Scholz recently reflected on the 2021 federal election in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. “As the last federal election showed, the reliability of such surveys can be controlled, although some people quickly forget this.” Two and a half months before the election, the Social Democrats also trailed the federal party by a wide margin. Up to 16 percentage points, until the laughter of federal chancellor candidate Armin Laschet changed the mood in flooded areas. In this election, the Social Democrats won 25.7% of the vote, and Scholz became Chancellor of the first traffic light coalition of the Social Democrats, Greens and FDP at the federal level.
Lindner: “People know what they're getting.”
Christian Lindner, the former finance minister fired by Scholz, was one of the quickest to comment on the Social Democrats' decision on the K question that night. “If Mr. Scholz is the Social Democratic Party's candidate for chancellor, I see no problem. People know what they are going to get. And what else: #economicturnaround.” (Sudanese Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)
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