Bärbel Bas, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), anticipates heated internal discussions regarding the future of the party’s leadership should the Social Democrats perform poorly in the upcoming state elections. She told the Funke Mediengruppe that the September elections are crucial, not only for the party but also for the party chairs themselves. Bas stated realistically, “It’s like in football: if things aren’t working, people start discussing the coach.”
According to Bas, the extent of internal personnel debates will hinge on the SPD’s outcome in the election in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6th. Failing to secure a seat in the state parliament-which she described as “catastrophic”-would make conditions uncomfortable within the SPD. However, she added that she does not currently foresee such a scenario. Instead, she emphasized the need to mobilize voters to support the SPD, asserting this is crucial for the victory of democracy over right-wing extremism.
Bas admitted that the party atmosphere is currently poor, noting that no one in the SPD is satisfied with the party’s current state, including her and Lars Klingbeil. The Minister for Labor, who co-leads the party alongside Klingbeil, noted that the party has been stagnating in the polls since the federal election.
The coalition government is implementing necessary reforms, and the SPD leadership is striving to communicate why this direction is correct. Yet, Bas acknowledged, “In the party and in the country, there are debates and conflicts over whether this is the right path. Both Lars Klingbeil and I are feeling that.” Despite these internal frustrations, Bas cautioned against relying solely on a shift in party leadership for change. She argued that swapping out leaders would be pointless if the core policy issues remained unresolved.
Within the SPD, there have been calls for government members Klingbeil and Bas to resign their roles as party leaders. Bas understood the underlying desire: that the SPD needs to be more visible and defined by its political positions. However, she countered that Klingbeil, as Deputy Chancellor and Finance Minister, and she, as the Minister for Labor, currently have “far more opportunities” within the coalition committee to advance SPD goals. Two party chairs without cabinet posts would face greater difficulty in negotiations, although they would also be forced to compromise.
Regarding the elections, Bas hopes the SPD will at least maintain its previous result in Saxony-Anhalt, where they received 8.4 percent in the last election. She is strongly committed to keeping the party within the state parliament despite the current weakness nationally.
Two weeks later, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bas is betting on a successful outcome for the incumbent and SPD top candidate, Manuela Schwesig, expressing firm confidence in her victory. She emphasized that this success would be important for the SPD as a whole. Finally, in Berlin, Bas is hopeful that the party, with Steffen Krach as its leading candidate, will continue to gain momentum, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the SPD is involved in the formation of the next government.
