SPD party leaders Lars Klingbeil and Bärbel Bas are facing growing internal criticism. A letter, published by the newspaper Stern and originating from the Hessian SPD district of Groß-Gerau, now calls for a binding member’s decision regarding the party’s leadership.
The authors of the open letter, Landrat Thomas Will and former Member of Parliament Melanie Wegling, demand a fundamental reorientation of the party. They assert that the position of party chairman, as well as the selection of top candidates for both federal and regional elections, must henceforth be decided by the members through a binding vote. These Hessian Social Democrats insist that the SPD must redefine itself as an open party that encourages active participation.
The letter delivers sharp criticism of Klingbeil and Bas, labeling the SPD as being in “free fall,” a situation they claim the leaders’ work within the current federal government is only worsening. The critics specifically condemn the government’s policy of austerity concerning healthcare, the social safety net, and pensions, stating unequivocally that this path is not conducive to the party’s mission-“We will no longer participate in that.”
Furthermore, the authors advocate for establishing a perspective for a new left-wing alliance nationwide. They charge that the current leadership must cease excluding options to the left of the center before those options have even been thoroughly examined. They argue that the potential alliance must encompass more than merely discussing the conditions under which the party might regain governing power.
