The SPD's Eager Rebuild: Finding the Booster Button
SPD Seeks Booster Button Activation - SPD is on a search for the boost function
By Florian Schillat+ - 4 Min
Former SPD party chairman Norbert Walter-Borjans has just finished knocking over a few sculptures, reminding him on the phone that patience, endurance, and meticulousness are key for crafting a masterpiece. The image of the SPD is currently hazy, and they are often seen as a "bureaucratic apparatus" rather than a movement party. This is evident in the conclusions drawn from the internal party commission's first lessons after the historic defeat in the federal election. They propose a "Future Program 2040," a new vision for the SPD.
Norbert Walter-Borjans, 72, acknowledges the need for change. "I find value in a broad-based discussion about a new SPD basic program," says the former party chairman (2019-2021) to stern. The Social Democrats cannot simply act as a supplement for conservative politics; they need their own, recognizable voice.
The desire for a new content orientation has been brewing within the SPD, with calls for a thorough review of the disastrous election result of 16.4 percent becoming louder.
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The SPD leadership may face turbulent times in the Willy-Brandt House. At the premature party conference at the end of June, pent-up frustration could erupt. Many party members now want a new basic program. But can it work: Can they discard old certainties without tearing themselves apart in the process?
The CDU spent more than two years working on its new basic program, sometimes engaging in heated arguments over formulations. As a party, one should not lose oneself in a basic discussion, warned Rolf Mützenich recently in an interview with stern. "But just governing is not enough." The former SPD parliamentary group chairman has doubts about whether the current SPD basic program is "still up to date." The new SPD parliamentary group deputy Armand Zorn also calls for a basic discussion about "how we understand work in the 21st century."
The last SPD basic program was adopted in October 2007. When artificial intelligence was still a thing of the future, right-wing populists were not yet in the parliaments, or hybrid work models seemed almost exotic. "I don't know if the word 'digitalization' is even in it," said Stephan Weil, the former Minister President of Lower Saxony, in March, looking at the "Hamburg Program" of 2007. Indeed, the word does not appear in the 79-page document.
Even the Jusos demand a renewal of the party that goes beyond the personnel table. The SPD youth has a rebellious nature and is not afraid of clear words. At the state party conferences in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia, they particularly accused party chairman Lars Klingbeil of a self-service mentality.
Former party chief Norbert Walter-Borjans, Klingbeil's predecessor, is familiar with profile debates. In 2019, he was elected, alongside Saskia Esken—who is not running for chairmanship again at the party conference—as the first double leadership of the SPD. At that time, the party was in turmoil because it had once again forced the political situation into a black-red coalition, one that had brought it a historic low of 20.5 percent in the previous election. It needed a new, overarching narrative, also for self-assurance.
Walter-Borjans and Esken launched the "Programmwerkstatt," resulting in the "Future Program." Walter-Borjans and Esken valued readability: The text, initially created in the program commission with many contributions from the party base, was translated into simple, understandable language by an external author. Only then was the final version formulated.
"Lost the character of a workers' party"
"The SPD succeeded when workers knew that the party was there for them," says Walter-Borjans. A broad section of society also recognized that a strong social democratic force was necessary for issues such as the environment, culture, and peace. "How can these topics be reconciled and removed from an increasingly intellectual area?" This could be the material for a programmatic discussion. It is crucial that not just a guiding motion comes out in the end, but rather a tangible plan that is implemented.
There is a consensus that a fundamental debate about the SPD's profile is necessary after the lost federal election. The self-proclaimed workers' party is no longer seen as such—at least not in the eyes of voters. Its former core clientele has moved to AfD and the Left Party. "We have lost the character of a workers' party," party chief Klingbeil admitted. Former faction leader Rolf Mützenich describes their predicament as being in a "sandwich position": they are losing to the Left and AfD.
These answers are to be developed, in part, by the working group established by the party leadership. However, the programmatic restart must be initiated by the SPD leadership—particularly by Klingbeil, who has significantly expanded his power since the election defeat and is now Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister in the black-red government, aiming to run for co-chairman again at the party conference. Barbara Bas, the new Minister of Labor, seeks to succeed Saskia Esken in office.
Can the new double leadership find the courage to reposition the SPD substantively? According to reports, the SPD party presidency and executive could set the first course for this as early as this Monday.
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- Keyword: Future Program 2040 - Despite our search, we found no specific information about this program. The SPD currently focuses on climate and energy policy discussions within the German government and is working to achieve Germany’s climate and energy transition goals (e.g., carbon neutrality by 2045 and phasing out coal by 2038). The German government has also aligned with EU climate targets, such as a potential 90% CO2 emission reduction by 2040. If the "Future Program 2040" is related to these broader climate and energy initiatives, it would likely align with the SPD's efforts to strengthen environmental policies and combat climate change. However, without specific details, it is unclear what the "Future Program 2040" entails.
- The SPD's proposed "Future Program 2040" may not only focus on labor issues, but also on environmental concerns, as the party acknowledges the need to reconcile issues such as climate change and peace with a broader section of society.
- The SPD's "Future Program 2040," which aims to provide a new vision for the party, is likely to address policy-and-legislation related to climate and energy transitions, politically significant in the context of Germany's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2045 and the phasing out of coal by 2038. The program may also touch upon general news topics such as money and politics within Germany.
