So far it has been a race without participants. But that is now changing. There has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks regarding the question of who could take over the top position in the SPD in mid-January. There was also talk about the former Labor Minister Hubertus Heil.
With a letter to the SPD state associations and the party executive committee, which is available to the ARD capital studio, Heil has now made it official: He is running as one of the SPD chairmen at the federal party conference in Bremen, the Lower Saxon writes in it.
He wants to ensure that the proud social democracy continues to shape the country in the future. He was always motivated by the fact that together with the SPD we could change things for the better. He knows how important visible and programmatically clear parties are for the ability of a government and democracy to act.
“Dedicate all my strength to a party chairmanship”
Being at the head of a people's party in these times requires a lot of commitment and full attention. Heil literally writes: "That's why I want to devote all my energy to becoming a party chairman." Power and full attention, which Heil apparently no longer believes the previous party chairman Lars Klingbeil can provide.
Behind this is a long-running SPD discussion as to whether the party leadership and government offices should be separated in terms of personnel. During the time of the black-red coalition they were united so far. Klingbeil is party chairman, finance minister and vice chancellor, the resigned chairwoman Bärbel Bas was also labor minister.
In the traffic light coalition under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, government office and party leadership were separate: Chancellor Scholz had no party function, and the SPD chairmen Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil had no government offices.
Advocate of the separation of government and party office
With his candidacy, Heil is on the side of the advocates of the separation of government and party positions. There could also be proposals for this at the party conference. One from which Spiegel quotes and which is available to the ARD capital studio states that "in the current situation, the chairmanship of the SPD at the federal level may not be held at the same time as a ministerial office within the federal government." In order to strengthen the programmatic credibility as a party of workers, “a clear organizational and personnel separation is required between the leadership of the party and the exercise of government offices at the federal level (…)”.
Heil wants to develop a new program
Heil wants to develop a new program together with the party. In the letter he writes about his initial thoughts that he wants to discuss with the SPD members. The SPD is the party of confidence: "Confidence grows when people again have a reason to look forward to tomorrow." To achieve this, it is necessary that families can rely on their income and that “life is affordable”. It goes on to say: “Confidence grows where people experience community, have equal opportunities and do not live in fear of social hardship or violence.”
The SPD is also the modern party of labor. Every job deserves “recognition and respect” as well as fair income and working conditions. A reference to Scholz's successful respect election campaign. Heil wants to strengthen democracy and rebuild trust. For example, it is important that a “strong police force” ensures “public safety”. When it comes to security issues, Heil also relies on continued support for Ukraine and “peaceful conflict resolution.”
First official candidate for party leadership
Heil is the first candidate to officially enter the race. More will probably follow. It is unclear which woman the former labor minister wants to lead the SPD with in the future. Theoretically, the party statutes allow one man to lead the SPD alone. In the party, however, this is not considered realistic. There is speculation about the former family minister Franziska Giffey or the Brandenburg research minister Manja Schüle.
Klingbeil has not yet taken himself out of the running for another term. Saarland Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch have ruled out running for office. Manuela Schwesig is given the best chance of becoming party leader. The Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has so far left a candidacy open.
