Shaking Things Up in the SPD: Elder Statesmen Challenge the Status Quo
Agitation of rebellious SPD members in grey Berlin escalating
By Hildburg Bruns
The reigning grizzled, but once powerful, have taken matters into their own hands. Ex-mayors, ex-senators, ex-city councilors, ex-representatives, and once influential functionaries are rallying against the current state of their party. A group of 50 political veterans have put pen to paper, urging an immediate overhaul of the Berlin SPD.
"We've been grumbling in our comfy homes long enough. Now we're ready to lend a hand and help guide the SPD back to its direction-setting roots," says former Justice Senator Gisela von der Aue (75). Ready to hit the ground running, she plans to attend party meetings and get back in the game.
The once-proud people's party is in a decline, experiencing a dramatic drop from 18.4% in the Berlin election to 15.1% in the federal election – the worst showing since reunification. A slide from first place to fifth in just five years.
Former SPD chairman Peter Strieder (73) has been orchestrating the movement, rallying support from seasoned party allies. They gather in the electoral office of Michael Müller (60) – neither will appear live at the wake-up call presentation.
Former Education Senator Jürgen Zöllner (79) voices concerns not only for the SPD but for society as a whole. "We need to focus on the working class again. They must be reasonably satisfied for us to tackle other issues," he warns.
What's the Focus of the Wake-Up Call?
The concern is the misdirected focus of the Berlin SPD! "Instead of discussing ways to combat crime, we're caught up in debates regarding the ethics of calling it 'clan crime,'" Zöllner laments. Another example: when the need for additional housing arises, the focus should be on supply, not whether it should come from public or private sources.
Pankow supporter politician Katja Arens (37) echoes these sentiments. "The debates within the SPD no longer prioritize the many – firefighters, single mothers, young people who attend an SPD meeting are rarely seen again."
From the perspective of the first 50 signatories of the wake-up call, neglected topics include addressing drug and violent crime, economic instability and job losses, housing shortages and escalating rents, unregulated migration, and the deterioration of public spaces.
The supporters advocate for a significant shift in direction: a departure from a 'free city' concept, which might benefit even those paying for school meals or kindergarten. "Voters can't be bought," the paper states. "They expect tangible solutions, not cheap fixes."
- The group of political veterans, led by former SPD chairman Peter Strieder, is advocating for a policy-and-legislation overhaul in the Berlin SPD, focusing on issues such as drug and violent crime, economic instability, housing shortages, unregulated migration, and the deterioration of public spaces.
- In the wake-up call presentation, the focus is on the misguided direction of the Berlin SPD, with concerns expressed about the party's debates being too caught up in politics and general-news discussions that do not prioritize the needs of the working class and the community, such as the ethics of labeling crime or the source of new housing.
