Müntefering: The K question remains open to the SPD.

Berlin

From the perspective of Franz Müntefering, former SPD party and parliamentary group leader, the SPD’s question of a chancellor candidate has not yet been decided in favor of Olaf Scholz. “The SPD has a committee and rules by which such decisions are made,” the 84-year-old told “Tagesspiegel”. “All of this will be observed. And at some point in 2025, the party congress will decide on the following direction. That’s how long we have to wait and the K question remains open.”

Over the weekend, Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed his claim to be a candidate for chancellor in the 2025 federal election, despite his low opinion poll numbers. His party colleague and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is doing better in the polls. “I am very hopeful that the SPD and I will be given a strong mandate to lead the next government in 2025,” the chancellor told the “Tagesspiegel” newspaper. “I am a runner and in good shape,” Scholz said. “Like many others, I would like to run for chancellor again,” Pistorius said.

Who has the best chance of doing “big things”?

In this context, Müntefering recalled the legendary leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Herbert Wehner. “Wehner will act in such a way that after the elections the party has every chance of being in the lead again.” Despite all the personalization, the party is “focused on the most important thing: how to organize the coexistence of people in a good and fair way.”

Müntefering said whoever becomes chancellor must be the person most likely to do “big things”. “The Social Democrats will decide together. Who can and who will?” There is no need to rush.

Müntefering also praised Pistorius. He said that his strengths are that he does not present himself as a ‘good minister’ but as a ‘mayor’. “That makes Pistorius look natural and therefore considered for important posts. He behaves completely correctly.”

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