The party leadership of the Social Democrats (SPD) is currently facing calls for a strategic narrative refresh, following similar suggestions from Cologne Mayor Torsten Burmester. Jochen Ott, the SPD’s top candidate for the state election in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), stated in the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” that the black-red coalition government requires a cohesive political story. Ott argued that the SPD has adopted a “stop sign” approach in many areas, noting, “this role is important, but it is not sufficient as a political narrative or vision.” He stressed that the public needs to understand what the SPD stands for while in government. Ott further advised his party to orient itself towards the British Labour Party under the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, asserting, “Britain is currently showing how it can be done.” He concluded that the policy focus must be on tangibly relieving the everyday lives of working people and their families, ensuring they feel that politics is improving their lives.
Mayor Burmester also called for a change in course, though he emphasized slightly different points. He commented to the newspaper that people become frustrated when the SPD presents itself solely as a “stop sign” within the federal government, merely preventing worse things from happening. Burmester urged the SPD to refocus internally and collaborate with the CDU (the Union) to create a unified narrative for the federal government. Specifically, he proposed a new story for the social market economy. According to him, “on one hand we need freedom for the economy. On the other hand, the state must commit to supporting those who temporarily fall into need.” This support, of course, must be conditional on demonstrable intent to work and a willingness to be productive.
