Armin Willingmann, Deputy Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt and a lead candidate for the SPD in the September state election, admitted that his party made strategic errors in its direction and in how it interacted with the AfD.
Speaking to the “Welt,” the Minister for Science and Energy, who serves in the cabinet of Minister-President Sven Schulze (CDU), noted that the impression had formed that “the SPD primarily cares about recipients of state benefits rather than the hard-working middle class.” Willingmann added that these perceived shortcomings were the reasons behind the party’s electoral losses, emphasizing that “we must correct this.”
Willingmann dismissed the statement by SPD Chairwoman Bärbel Bas-that there is no immigration into the German social system-calling it “an unfortunate statement,” but stressed that such comments were not the fundamental problem facing the federal government. He argued that what weighed heavier was the failure of promised initiatives to materialize.
The SPD politician also criticized the way other parties approached the AfD. Self-critically, Willingmann stated, “The democratic parties, including my own, have avoided the critical discussion with the AfD for too long.” He explained that they should have reacted much sooner to the topics raised by the AfD with substantive debate, acknowledging their observation that “many people are restless.” He further maintained that they should have recognized in certain areas that something was wrong and that action needed to be taken.
On the topic of political cooperation, Willingmann welcomes the CDU’s refusal to collaborate with the AfD. He is not convinced that the so-called “firewall” strengthens the AfD or grants it a martyr status. “I hear this often, but why does no one actually ask whether the AfD would be willing to abandon right-wing extremist positions?” Willingmann questioned.
