Philipp Türmer, head of the Juso faction, has stated that he is open to the possibility of former Labor Minister Hubertus Heil running for the leadership of the SPD. Türmer told Politico that Heil has frequently challenged the Jusos in Juso congress debates, often rousing enthusiasm in the room. He described Heil as a “thrilling offer with a clear profile regarding the topics of labor and social affairs.”
However, Türmer cautioned against reducing the renewal of the SPD solely to personnel issues. He stressed that any discussion about personnel must be determined by the content and strategy, not the reverse.
Regarding the heavy protests in France, the Juso leader attributes the phenomenon primarily to social causes, suggesting that rising inequality in different countries leads to diverse forms of unrest. While he condemned the escalation of violence, he noted that the protests were originally initiated by students.
The SPD youth politician finds a similar development in Germany unlikely. “I actually find it very improbable that it will escalate like that,” he commented, arguing that Germany and France possess distinctly different protest cultures. Türmer characterized the planned student protests in Germany toward the end of October as substantively understandable. He stated that campaigning for better education, lower living costs, and against conscription are highly commendable interests, though he noted that the Jusos have yet to make contact with the organizers.
Finally, regarding the planned red-green-red coalition in Berlin, Türmer defended the ongoing discussions with the Left party. He argued that if one observes that social inequality is currently driving protests, then seeking a coalition that attempts to address this inequality is strongly warranted. Furthermore, he pointed out that the exploratory document explicitly promised that there would be no cuts to the police force.
