With opponents of grand coalition, everything collapses after vote of SPD base: first, transparency slips with Willy Brandt quote "More democracy wagon" from two chairs, which hold it only provisional. Then Facebook livestream starts. The crisis session of Democratic Left of SPD and Association NoGroKo E. V. In a Berlin cellar bar is thus held practically to exclusion of public. Although loudly drummed, re are not even 40 people in room, including a baby.
This is place where mobile phone network no longer allows online transmission. A kind of overthrow, at least a break with status quo – that's what present has in mind for your party. In semi-darkness of wood panelled room in basement, anger is unloaded by defeat in members ' vote of SPD and party leadership.
"The determination from top to bottom may no longer be possible," says Hilde Matis, member of Bundestag and spokesperson for Democratic SPD left. Steve Hudson, club leader of NoGroKo, sees SPD "in front of abyss" and must still process shock, "that result was so clear". The Berlin Juso boss Annika Klose will later also say something about this, he announces. They're just demonstrating in front of Willy Brandt House.
There is also Kevin Kühnert in front of cameras, federal chairman of SPD party offspring. In last few months, he has orchestrated anti-Groko movement in public. Now he wants to "climb this party on roof" so that promises of leadership do not remain lip-confessions.
The subversive of NoGroKo @Forum_DL21 lick ir wounds in a basement bar. First Transpi slips from chairs, n live stream collapses. Pic.twitter.com/TbynxzvHE2
— Tilman Steffen (@tilsteff) March 4, 2018Despite headwind, two thirds of SPD voted for coalition with CDU and CSU – after a U-turn from ex-party leader Martin Schulz and entire management staff. How delicate this was was revealed when 66 percent result was announced on Sunday morning at party headquarters: No hand stirred for applause. For months SPD has been trapped in conflict between takeover of state-political responsibility and its credibility, between governing and party-internal renewal from opposition bank. In this way, party headquarters cannot even applaud victory of coalition proponents.
"Whoever criticizes party leader is ignored"The leadership points to fact that in coalition negotiations agreed with only 56 percent party rally majority, maximum for Social Democrats has been brought out. The strongest means of pressure was reference to forthcoming member decision. Important ministries are refore now occupied by SPD politicians. The majority of party members have convinced this. It also drove fear of being even worse in case of a new election: in current surveys, SPD is below 20 percent, in some surveys only rank three, just behind AfD.
In collapse of Berlin on Sunday fear that Groko opponents could be marginalized in SPD and party finally lost. "Those who criticize party leadership are ignored," says Silvia Kunze, SPD vice president in Frankfurt am Main. Hartmut Georgi of SPD Berlin-Friedrichshain/Kreuzberg is disappointed by his "16 percent party". "The marginalized third must once again gain strength within SPD."
Matis tries to keep people toger: "We don't want a split in yes-and naysayers", she motivates audience. But that does not comfort fact that voters continue to flee: Despite takeover of political responsibility and despite social-democratic advantages in Coalition treaty – party falls and falls in polls. All done wrong, n?
© Michael Heck Tilman Steffen Editor in Department of Politics, Economy and society, time online to author pageAll speeches of Renewal: party leadership, Juso chief Kühnert and Hilde Matis. Without this buzzword, re is no response to result of vote, no tweet, no interview. Renewal is consolation of wound that tore forced entry into unloved black-and-red coalition. The SPD has already changed a little: almost 30,000 new members have been gained since last year. Discussions are more controversial and a new party leader is elected at end of April. But what is to become of social democratic politics in future – and what is SPD's programme?
Date Of Update: 05 March 2018, 12:03
