Stepping Down and Avoiding Backstabbing: Saskia Esken's Fresh Start
SPD will not be subjected to Esken's "venomous" attacks
The outgoing co-chair of the SPD, Saskia Esken, made it clear that she won't be chucking mud at the up-and-coming party leadership post-resignation. In an intimate chat with the daily "taz," she said, "I ain't gonna bite the SPD in the ass for personal reasons, man. I'll scrutinize my party work, sure, but I'll keep my gripes to myself." This move mirrors Andrea Nahles' post-resignation stance.
Women in politics gotta work twice as hard, according to Esken. The male world sets an unattainable, conflicting bar for women in politics.
Saskia Esken, 63, announced her decision not to run for party chair again last Sunday. She's been at the helm since 2019, sharing the role with Lars Klingbeil until his move to become deputy chancellor and finance minister in the black-red federal government. The new labor minister, Barbara Bas, and Klingbeil will be vying for the post, with a vote scheduled at the end of June. Esken considers Bas a friend.
Personality Over Policy
Klingbeil sprinted for the parliamentary seat following the SPD's disappointing election result, while Esken took flak for her TV show appearances and leadership. She deemed the endless inquiries about her future profession as improper. "There's a ton of crucial stuff we should discuss instead," she voiced. "Instead, we're focused on personalities. That's a damn shame." Yet, once the public chase begins, positive voices often go unheard.
Asked about her relief after the announcement, Esken replied, "Peace of mind would be too strong a term, but I'm not stressed anymore, that's for sure." She looks forward to delving into the committee on education, family, seniors, women, and youth. Karin Prien, the new education minister from the CDU, calls Esken a lucky catch.
Insights:
- Saskia Esken stepped down as co-chair of the SPD in 2022 due to internal party conflicts and poor election results.
- She will remain in the Bundestag as an ordinary Member of Parliament (MP) without a ministerial or leadership role.
- Esken faces increased scrutiny due to her gender and the unreasonable expectations placed on politically active women.
- The public often focuses on personalities rather than policy-related discussions, leading to the dismissal of positive voices.
Sources: ntv.de, ino/dpa; 1, 2; 3
Other aspects of Saskia Esken's departure from the role of co-chair included her concerns about the politics of personality over policy-and-legislation in general-news matters. Esken, in her new role as a member of the Bundestag committee on education, family, seniors, women, and youth, will continue to voice her opinions about the importance of policy discussions over personalities in shaping the nation's future.
