Status: 31.10.2021 12:35 p.m.
What does the future of SPD leader Esken look like? The debate about the dual leadership is in full swing with Walter-Borjans’ announcement of his retirement and the formation of a government. SPD parliamentary group leader Mützenich wants clarity.
After the announced withdrawal of SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich calls for clarity about the political future of co-leader Saskia Esken.
The party must know where it is, said Mützenich in the Deutschlandfunk. The separation of government and party offices has proven its worth. “So Saskia Esken started two years ago, ultimately insisting on this independence.” Accordingly, Esken would have to give up the party chairmanship if she goes to the cabinet.
Mützenich does not believe, however, that the two SPD chairmen are weakened in the ongoing coalition negotiations with the Greens and the FDP. On the contrary, Walter-Borjans “created clarity”.
The SPD parliamentary group leader believes that it is right that SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz is not applying for the party chairmanship again. “Concentrating on one position is enough of a challenge!” The dual leadership has proven itself in the eyes of the group chairman.
As a new duo for the party chairmanship, he brought General Secretary Lars Klingbeil and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig into discussion. “But I don’t want to anticipate a personal decision about two outstanding candidates.”
Schwesig: “No time for staff discussions”
Schwesig left a possible candidacy for federal chairman of her party open at the party conference in December. Now is not the time for staff discussions, she said on the weekend via a spokesman. The SPD has been given the task of forming a federal government, on which all efforts must now be put.
Generation change argument
Walter-Borjans announced on Friday that he did not want to run for another term at the SPD party conference from December 10th to 12th. The 69-year-old spoke out in favor of a generation change at the top of the party.