The SPD party chairs, Bärbel Bas and Lars Klingbeil, are expected to have minimal involvement in the upcoming state election campaigns, according to reports from the newspaper “Welt.” A spokesperson for SPD top candidate Steffen Krach confirmed that currently, no appearances by the two federal politicians are planned in Berlin.
While the national leadership is holding back, some limited activity has been noted. Bas has already made a campaign appearance in Saxony-Anhalt, and party circles suggest that Klingbeil is also scheduled to visit that state there.
The strategy for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is heavily localized. Manuela Schwesig’s office announced that for the intense campaigning period ahead, the local priority is focused squarely on her state, meaning federal politician appearances are generally not scheduled. The office further noted that Manuela Schwesig supports the idea that the federal party should now concentrate on Saxony-Anhalt, given the critically challenging political situation in that region.
This subdued presence from the party chairs coincides with a period of increasing internal debate within the SPD regarding its leadership. Heading into the September state elections, the party particularly faces enormous pressure in Saxony-Anhalt as it fights to regain a seat in the state parliament, according to opinion polls.
