Bowling and Ballзыng: The SPD Searches for Its Booster Shot
SPD Seeks Location of Boost Function - SPD Seeking Boost Button: Party in search for enhance button.
By Johann Schmidt* ~ 4 Min
Norbert Walter-Borjans, now a bowling alley regular, chats over the phone. As a hobby sculptor of 25 years, he knows the importance of patience, persistence, and attention to detail. The same values he wishes the SPD would embody as it paints a vision capable of standing out from the crowd.
The SPD, once celebrated as a vibrant, left-leaning movement party, has now become perceived as a mundane "functionary apparatus." This disheartening assessment comes from a recent internal inquiry, investigating lessons learned from the party's dismal performance in the federal election. Suggesting a "Future Program 2040," this fresh perspective could revive the SPD's spirit.
Nearing his golden years, Walter-Borjans, 72, understands the necessity of change. "I fully support a broad, inclusive discussion of a new SPD basic program," he tells Stern. "The SPD should no longer be just a supplemental ingredient for conservative politics." With the left's voice overshadowed, the Social Democrats should assert their unique stance within the black-red coalition.
Within the SPD, debates about a rebrand have long simmered, with a growing chorus calling for honest introspection in the aftermath of the disastrous 16.4% outcome.
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The SPD leadership may be in for tempestuous times at the Willy-Brandt House. Ongoing frustration could erupt at the hastily scheduled party congress at the end of June. Many party members now seek a new basic program. However, can they strike a balance between ditching old staples and holding their party together?
The CDU took more than two years to meticulously fine-tune its new basic program, with tense debates over phrasing along the way. "A party should not lose itself in basic discussions," Rolf Mützenich recently cautioned in an interview with Stern. "But simply governing is not enough." The former SPD parliamentary group chairman has reservations about the current SPD basic program's continuing relevance. The new SPD parliamentary group deputy, Armand Zorn, also calls for a dialogue about "what we understand work to be in the 21st century."
The SPD's last basic program was approved in October 2007. AI was still science fiction at the time, far from becoming a household concern. Right-wing populists had not yet claimed seats in parliament, and hybrid work models seem barely imaginable. "I'm not sure if the word 'digitalization' even appears in it," Stephan Weil, the former Minister President of Lower Saxony, candidly admitted in March, examining the "Hamburg Program" of 2007. Indeed, that term does not appear anywhere in the 79-page document.
Even the SPD's youth wing, the Jusos, yearn for revitalization beyond mere personnel changes. Forward-thinking and unafraid of bold words, the youth organization has been particularly critical of the party chairman, Lars Klingbeil, for his self-serving inclinations during state party congresses in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Former Party Chieftain Norbert Walter-Borjans, Klingbeil's Predecessor, has grappled with image and self-assurance before. In 2019, he was elected alongside Saskia Esken – who is declining reelection – as the first co-leadership duo of the SPD. At the time, the party was in shambles, having again forced the political situation into a black-red coalition after a dismal 20.5% outcome in the previous election. A new, overarching narrative was desperately needed, also for the party's confidence.
Walter-Borjans and Esken instigated the "Programmwerkstatt," resulting in the "Future Program." They placed considerable importance on clarity: The text, originally created by a program commission with many grassroots contributions, was simplified and made understandable for everyday readers before the final version was finalized.
"Lost the image of a workers' party"
"The SPD's greatest success shone when workers felt the party supported them," says Walter-Borjans, and a diverse cross-section of society recognized the significance of a strong social democratic force in the country, championing not only the working class but also the environment, culture, and peace. "How can these areas be reconciled, and how can they be removed from an increasing intellectual sphere?" This could spark compelling programmatic discussions. However, it's crucial to ensure not just a rallying cry emerges, but tangible actions to reshape the party and address its current dilemma.
The aftermath of the federal election leaves no doubt: The SPD needs a comprehensive debate about its identity. The party once hailed as the "workers' party" is no longer seen that way by voters. The party's traditional support base has drifted toward the AfD and the Left Party. "We have lost the image of a workers' party," party chairman Klingbeil admitted. Former faction leader Rolf Mützenich summed up the problem: "We find ourselves in a 'sandwich position': we're losing to the Left and the AfD." This dangerous dynamic calls for solutions.
In search of answers, these solutions are being forged in part by the group convened by the party leadership. However, the SPD leadership must initiate the programmatic revival process, particularly Klingbeil, who has dramatically expanded his authority following the election defeat and now serves as Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister in the black-red government and plans to seek reelection as co-chairman at the party conference. Barbara Bas, the new Minister of Labor, aims to succeed Saskia Esken in office.
Will the new co-leadership have the fortitude to steer the SPD into a more substantive, leftward direction? Reports suggest that the SPD party presidency and executive board could chart the path for change as early as Monday.
- The SPD's lackluster performance in the federal election has prompted a need for a significant re-evaluation of its 'employment policy,' focusing on attracting a diverse support base and reshaping its image beyond a mere "supplemental ingredient for conservative politics."
- Amidst the party's internal calls for change, discussions around the SPD's 'community policy' and 'employment policy' are expected to dominate debates at the upcoming party congress, aiming to strike a balance between shedding old staples and maintaining unity, similar to the CDU's meticulous refinement of its new basic program.
