"SPD Must Tread the Right Path" - Heil voices concern over SPD foreign policy debate
SPD Manifesto Involvement of Heil Uncovered
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is braced for a heated discussion at its upcoming federal conference in Berlin. The conference, scheduled for this Friday, will not only elect new chairpersons but also debate a controversial manifesto proposing a different approach to foreign and defense policy. Hubertus Heil, the former Labor Minister now focusing on foreign affairs, has weighed in on this divisive issue and has criticized the manifesto's authors by stating, "Peace does not create peace on its own."
In an opinion piece for 'Der Spiegel', Heil wrote, "I respect many of the individuals who have signed the so-called manifesto within the SPD. However, I must firmly oppose their stance."
The manifesto at hand focuses on the handling of Russia's assault on Ukraine and the government's stance on rearmament. It calls upon diplomatic endeavors, citing narrowed discourse driving down to a military solution to the war. Ralf Stegner, a left-wing SPD member, and Rolf Mützenich, a long-standing faction leader, are among its supporters. They advocate for resuming long-term relationships with Russia and pursuing a shared security arrangement in Europe. This stance is perceived as contrary to the turnaway from Russia championed by party leader Klingbeil.
Heil emphasized, "A responsible governing party such as the SPD must not deviate from the right path. Debates on important issues like rearmament and dealing with Russia are essential, but they should ultimately be clarified and resolved." The SPD had already agreed on a paper outlining its foreign policy stance during its 2023 federal conference, endorsing security interests prioritized over collaboration with Russia. However, the historical Association of Social Democrats with Russia remains a contested topic.
Heil underlined the necessity for rearmament in response to a dual turning point - Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. President. Rearmament, Heil argued, isn't in conflict with the SPD's historical legacy. "Brandt and Schmidt were not militarists but neither were naive pacifists who overlooked our country's security interests." He cautioned manifesto supporters about adopting a naive approach towards Russian leader Vladimir Putin, stating, "Yes, dialogue with difficult regimes is vital, but we must not naively confront Putin's aggressive imperialism."
While the manifesto appears to have a minimal following within the SPD, even the youth organization Jusos, which is usually more progressive than the party leadership, is not supportive of it. Philipp Türmer, the Juso chief, expressed his stance in an in-depth interview with ntv.de, saying, "The manifesto doesn't offer solutions but simply scattered peace rhetoric, which doesn't genuinely contribute to achieving peace and security." While Türmer supports long-term disarmament discussions, he warned the manifesto authors against adopting overly Russia-centric viewpoints.
"Amid the heated debate on foreign policy within the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Heil has referred to the controversial manifesto as a deviation from the right path. The manifesto, which advocates for resuming long-term relationships with Russia and pursuing a shared security arrangement in Europe, is perceived as contrary to the current stance on rearmament and handling Russia's assault on Ukraine."
"It's vital for the SPD, as a responsible governing party, to clarify and resolve important issues, such as rearmament and dealing with Russia, without deviating from the historical Association's focus on security interests over collaboration with Russia."
