Following the AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt, Steffen Krach, the leading SPD candidate in Berlin, has called for a significant change in the federal government’s direction. Speaking to the “Handelsblatt”, the SPD politician stated that the government’s current reform plans are unfair and must be corrected, arguing that “Germany needs a social turnaround.”
Krach noted that while Friedrich Merz (CDU) ran a campaign aimed at reducing the AfD’s influence, “we are seeing the result in Saxony-Anhalt.” He described the outcome as “deafening” and asserted that the Chancellor’s office must take notice. As the co-chairman of the Berlin SPD and the top candidate for his party, Krach is campaigning against the backdrop of the coming regional elections.
Looking ahead to the government formation in Magdeburg, Krach demanded that the CDU issue an unequivocal rejection of the AfD. He emphasized that the CDU must ensure that none of its party members in Saxony-Anhalt endorse the AfD or help bring a far-right figure to power as Minister-President. He stressed that this mandate also applies to the capital, stating, “We also have a joint mission in Berlin to stand clearly and decisively against the AfD.”
Jan Dieren, the chairman of Forum Democratic Left 21, a left-wing political faction, also criticized the government’s current reform agenda. Dieren told the “Handelsblatt” that the elections in Saxony-Anhalt clearly show which politicians “will harvest the anger of the people if they pursue policies against them.” He contended that Merz has received proof that a supposed reform agenda, implemented against the interests of the majority of citizens, is failing.
Dieren demanded more than superficial fixes, insisting that merely cushioning the hardships or preventing the worst outcomes is insufficient for the SPD. “A political course correction is necessary,” he argued. He warned that the SPD must not support reforms that will lead to a deterioration of people’s living conditions.
