Bärbel Bas has caused an earthquake in political Berlin, in both the coalition and the party. Those involved in both places are now hoping for a new beginning. Especially for the SPD, Juso leader Philipp Türmer sees the upcoming reorganization of the SPD as an opportunity for the party following the withdrawal of the party leader.
"With the announced party congress, the foundation has finally been laid for us to be able to hold all discussions about the future of the SPD with the breadth of the party," said Türmer to the Editorial Network Germany (RND). “We need a plan and ideas for the future again – and people who can credibly support this,” said the Juso chairman. »The fact that Lars Klingbeil today signaled his readiness for a comprehensive personnel reset also deserves recognition. It's good that everything is on the table.«
According to Klingbeil, the SPD wants to re-elect its entire party leadership at a party conference in December or January. Klingbeil left it open whether he would like to run for party leadership again. In interviews with ARD and ZDF that evening, he confirmed that he was not committed to his position. “I know what criticism there is,” said Klingbeil on Monday in the “heute journal” on ZDF. "It's not about me, and it's not about me sticking to office, it's about the best possible position." Klingbeil wants to remain finance minister and vice chancellor even if he is no longer SPD chairman after the party conference.
Dispute over “political attacks”
Bas announced her withdrawal on Monday, citing a bereavement in her family and attacks "from the ranks of her coalition partner." Bas had been accused, among other things, by Union politicians of delaying agreed reforms.
Regarding Bas' allegations about alleged attacks by Union politicians, Klingbeil said, "especially in these times when the important political actors know that there is a death," "political attacks" should be scaled back. Despite the bereavement, Bas put several laws into early coordination. The agreed timetable for the pension reform was adhered to.
With a view to the upcoming reforms, Union parliamentary group leader Thorsten Frei is now convinced that the coalition will find common solutions to the conflict over upcoming reforms. The CDU politician said on the ARD “Tagesthemen” that he had no reason to believe that the necessary tasks could not be successfully accomplished together. “I am convinced that we will come to a common solution on pensions, similar to other issues that affect the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs,” said Frei. Both the SPD and the Union know that they have not yet achieved the goals they have set themselves.
Reforms under time pressure
Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer is increasing the pressure. “Now it is important that the federal government makes progress with the important reforms,” said the CDU politician to the “Leipziger Volkszeitung” and the “Sächsische Zeitung”. He hopes for quick, concrete results.
The former head of government of Rhineland-Palatinate Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) is to succeed Bas as labor minister. He is due to be appointed by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday evening. Kretschmer described Schweitzer as a valued colleague from the Prime Minister's Conference. As the new Minister of Labor, he has important tasks ahead of him. “Especially when it comes to pensions, we need solutions that are sustainable in the long term and take into account the different employment histories in Germany,” he told the newspapers.
