Politics · Germany · 12 hrs ago
SPD groups seek to block Klingbeil from holding party and government posts
Six groups within Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) want to block Lars Klingbeil’s re-election as party chair while he remains a government minister.
Klingbeil is Germany’s finance minister and vice chancellor, and has shared the party leadership with Bärbel Bas.
Bas resigned as party chair in October, leaving the SPD to choose its leadership at a party convention in Bremen on January 16 and 17.
One proposal says the party’s national chair should not also hold a federal government post, which would force Klingbeil to choose between party leadership and his government jobs.
The groups say separating the roles would help the SPD regain its independence and credibility as a party for working people.
The SPD’s youth wing, the Jusos, goes further by calling for a woman to become the party’s sole chair.
Klingbeil has defended close coordination between the party and its government team, but has not said whether he will seek another term.
Six SPD working groups are backing a motion to prevent Lars Klingbeil from combining the party chairmanship with a government ministerial post.
The motion could force Klingbeil to choose between leading the SPD and serving as finance minister and vice-chancellor.
The Jusos, the party’s youth organization, are backing a separate motion calling for a woman to be the sole SPD chair.
The proposals are due to be considered at the SPD party conference in Bremen on January 16 and 17.
Klingbeil defended having close coordination between the party and the government.
- Who
- Six SPD working groups and the Jusos are backing proposals affecting SPD co-chair Lars Klingbeil.
- What
- One proposal would bar the party chair from also holding a federal ministerial post; the Jusos want a woman as sole chair.
- When
- The proposals are for the SPD party conference on January 16 and 17.
- Where
- The party conference is due to take place in Bremen.
- Why
- The working groups say the SPD needs to strengthen its independence and credibility as a party of workers by separating party leadership from government office.
SPD working groups and Jusos
Lars Klingbeil
Party and government roles
SPD working groups and Jusos
The working groups say the SPD chair should not also hold a federal ministerial post; the Jusos support a woman as sole chair.
Lars Klingbeil
Klingbeil says close coordination between the SPD as a party and the SPD in government is important.
Bärbel Bas resigned as federal labor minister and SPD co-chair.
Reports said SPD working groups and the Jusos were preparing motions concerning Klingbeil’s party leadership.
The SPD is due to elect its party leadership at a conference in Bremen.
- Working groups backing the motion
- 6
- SPD co-chair targeted
- Lars Klingbeil
- Government roles held by Klingbeil
- Finance minister and vice-chancellor
- Jusos proposal
- A woman as sole SPD chair
- Party conference
- Bremen, January 16–17
3 sources
What people are saying
I have always made clear that I think close coordination between the SPD as a party and the SPD in government is important. I stand for that as a person.
The chairmanship of the SPD at federal level must not, in the current situation, be held at the same time as a ministerial office within the federal government.
The strongest instrument for this would be a female sole chair, which we would explicitly welcome.