After the SPD’s loss in Baden‑Württemberg’s election, former federal MP Robin Mesarosch launched an unflattering attack on his own party. He warns that the mantra “We must be united” has been abused for years to shut down criticism. According to Mesarosch, the same people who publicly demand unity are the ones who exploit the quiet to arrange personal deals behind the scenes, and key decisions are usually settled by a very small circle.
Mesarosch is especially critical of the state association’s leadership. He described the meeting on Monday following the election as “almost worse than the election result” and sees the former general secretary Sascha Binder’s hold on the group chair after the floor leader as a fatal sign that some members fail to grasp what is happening. He argues that the personnel move has increased a harmful concentration of power and prevented new voices from gaining traction.
He also accuses the party of systematically excluding members. “Often it happens quite subtly” he says. Local workers who perform well find themselves at a disadvantage on the state level because local politics consumes time. Mesarosch claims that a handful of long‑term committee members set the direction and keep others out, creating a system that deliberately weeds out fresh talent and undermines intra‑party democracy.
Finally, Mesarosch accuses the SPD of a lack of strategy and planning: “The SPD has no strategy”. He notes that the party often stops at statements or announcements, presents itself externally as highly professional yet lacks real organization, and ultimately does nothing, learns nothing, and fails to implement anything. In parts of Baden‑Württemberg, he warns, the SPD already does not function; if the downward spiral continues, the party may soon have nothing left.
