When someone leaves, there is always a certain emptiness. It’s the same in relationships, in politics too. And the one who is left always wonders how he can fill this emptiness again. The social democracy in the district of Munich will also be faced with this question in the coming year. Actually, she has to ask herself this question now, since the long-term relationship between Natascha Kohnen and the SPD will come to an end in 2023 if the 54-year-old does not run for the state elections again and turns her back on politics. Without a divorce lawyer, without a marriage contract – but not without the pain of separation.
Not everyone will feel this pain. There are members who stick with Renate Schmidt (this is the woman with whom the SPD got 30 percent in Bavaria in the 1990s): She once said she didn’t want to step down – but then did and accused Kohnen of to have made too little of the office as SPD state leader, which she held from 2017 to 2021.
This accusation cannot be dismissed out of hand. Kohnen was certainly not born as a party leader, her election campaign as a top candidate in the 2018 state election was too good, a little aloof and thematically ignored the problems of the time. With her moderating style, the qualified biologist rarely managed to make her voice heard – inside and outside her own party.
Nevertheless, the comrades will miss Kohnen. For two reasons: She was and is the friendly, competent, authoritative and credible face of this party. She approaches people and can win them over for herself and thus also for the SPD. These are skills that are essential for politicians, and not only during election campaigns. And their prominence has always contributed to the fact that the Social Democrats from the district had their own representative in the Maximilianeum.
If Kohnen goes in the coming year, the district SPD can no longer grow with this pound. This makes the answer to the question of how to fill the void after her departure all the more difficult. In addition, the comrades will not only have to look for a new candidate, but in all probability a second one as well. Because it is hard to imagine that Ismaninger Annette Ganssmüller-Maluche (who likes to stick with Renate Schmidt) will compete again in the northern constituency. Bela Bach, the former member of the Bundestag from Planegg, is already history in party politics, her successor as direct candidate, Korbinian Rüger, has ruled out running for the state elections.
So who stays? District boss Florian Schardt? One of the established mayors? Rather not. Then the SPD will be understaffed and it will become clear what a gap Natascha Kohnen will leave behind.