Stepping Down, Esken Vows Not to "Toxic Poison" Against SPD
SPD will not face "toxic" opposition from Esken
After announcing her decision not to run for SPD chair again, Saskia Esken assures she won't publicly criticize the party's future leaders for personal reasons. In an interview with "taz" daily newspaper, she emphasized, "I ain't gonna air my dirty laundry, no public mudslinging against the SPD." She found the heated debate about her personal life inappropriate.
Esken, 63, served as co-chair since 2019, sharing leadership with Lars Klingbeil since 2021. Klingbeil advanced to become Germany's deputy chancellor and finance minister in the new coalition government. The new labor minister, Bärbel Bas, is contending for the post alongside Klingbeil. The delegates will vote on this at the federal party conference at the end of June. Esken described Bas as a "pal."
The political arena is particularly challenging for women, Esken admitted. "We gotta pull double shifts. The expectations for politically active women are a freakin' contradiction and unachievable," Esken stated.
Esken's Exit: An Expected Move
Klingbeil swiftly pursued the parliamentary group leadership post after the SPD's disappointing election result. Esken, too, faced internal criticism within the party. She deemed the persistent inquiries about her professional future as "off-base" in the "taz" interview. "We got countless important issues to discuss, but we keep talking about personal nonsense. That's a damn shame," Esken said.
When asked about her feelings after announcing her retirement, Esken responded, "I'd say I'm feeling serene. I'm cool with myself. Of course, some tension has evaporated now." She's eager to focus on her new role in the committee for education, family, seniors, women, and youth. The new education minister, Karin Prien of the CDU, called Esken "good luck."
Women in politics often encounter harder odds than their male counterparts, Esken asserted. "We gotta overperform twice as much. That's often unattainable given the conflicting expectations," Esken shared.
[1]: ntv.de, ino/dpa[2]: Detailed information about Esken's specific stance regarding public criticism is unavailable.[3]: After stepping down as co-chair, Esken's influence within the party is likely to decrease compared to her previous role. However, specific details about her future engagement or public statements concerning this matter are not available in the current context.
Other provisions in policy-and-legislation may need to be addressed to ensure greater gender equality in politics, considering the challenges faced by women like Saskia Esken. In the general news landscape, it's essential to discuss these issues and not solely focus on personal matters, which can overshadow important policy discussions.
