"Pinned as a Putin Apologist, Money Mützenich Speaks Out"
SPD politician Mützenich perceives mistreatment by his own party
The ex-SPD parliamentary group leader, Rolf Mützenich, is reeling from the icy breeze sweeping from his party's ranks since he signed a manifesto against the government's Russia policy. The Social Democrat admits to feeling flustered by the intensity of the backlash, particularly the allegation of being cozy with Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
"The ferocity of the attacks, even the hostility from the SPD, has left me bewildered," Mützenich confided to "Der Spiegel."
In mid-June, Mützenich along with 120 other initial signatories advocated for changing the approach toward Russia and rearmament in a so-called manifesto. Lower Saxony's social democratic Minister President Olaf Lies deemed the paper as an ambush on the party leadership headed by Lars Klingbeil. SPD Defense Minister Boris Pistorius branded the "manifesto" as "reality denial."
Mützenich feels hard-done-by the treatment, labeling it unfair and disrespectful. It was naive, he admits, but he hadn't envisioned such vehemence. "I thought the paper was all about international politics. I didn't think it would all be about how naive I am regarding Russia again."
"Confronting War through Diplomacy with Russia"
Despite the criticism, Mützenich still stands firm on his belief that international conflicts can only be settled through dialogue with Russia. "But I don't romanticize the Russian president. The mere mention of his name makes me shudder, and trust me, I am no Putin groupie," Mützenich told the magazine emphatically.
Such accusations particularly sting when they come from friends within his party, Mützenich noted, referring to those driving Germany towards Russian gas dependence.
"SPD Mustn't Misstep"
In response to Pistorius' "reality denial" accusation, Mützenich argued that accounting for the consequences of NATO's 5% military spending target is essential. "If we allocate such enormous sums for the military, we must ensure that there are also resources left for vital areas like employment, education, housing policy, and the social welfare system," Mützenich elaborated to "Der Spiegel."
Unfortunately, Mützenich had scheduled other commitments, preventing him from attending the SPD federal party conference this weekend, where he would have been honored for his work as parliamentary group chairman.
In the midst of intense criticism from his party, Rolf Mützenich pointed out that his stance on international politics, particularly diplomacy with Russia, should not be misconstrued as sympathy for Vladimir Putin or a dismissal of the reality of the Russia-Germany relationship. Despite his disagreement with the SPD Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' labeling of his manifesto as "reality denial," Mützenich remains adamant that dialogues are essential to prevent international conflicts like wars, and that sufficient funds should be allocated to other important areas like employment and social welfare systems, instead of focusing solely on military spending.
