Coalition: Klingbeil defends dual role as SPD leader and minister

Berlin. SPD leader and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil responded to criticism from the party and defended his dual role. "I have always made it clear that I think a lot about there being close coordination between the SPD as a party and the SPD in the government. I also stand for that as a person," said Klingbeil after an event as part of his dialogue tour in Potsdam.

"I did the same thing as general secretary, as party chairman under Olaf Scholz as chancellor and vice-chancellor. Above all, the SPD must act synchronously, and there cannot be two different camps when it comes to personnel issues."

Klingbeil responded to a “Spiegel” report. According to the report, several working groups in the SPD want to prevent Klingbeil from running for party leadership again.

They are therefore supporting a motion for the SPD party conference in January, which demands that the SPD federal chairmanship in the current situation should not be held at the same time as a ministerial office in the federal government. In a similar proposal, the SPD youth organization Jusos is also seeking a separation of government offices and party leadership.

According to General Secretary Kurt Fischer, in the debate with around 120 members of the Brandenburg SPD, up to five rather critical questions also revolved around the personnel issue with Klingbeil.

“This is not a new debate, it has always existed in the SPD,” said Klingbeil in Potsdam. He referred to the schedule for personnel proposals. “We want to make a decision in the executive committee and submit a personnel proposal by December 16th at the latest.”