Almost 10% loss

Scholz about to resign? SPD announces “radical changes”

Under Olaf Scholz, the SPD has recorded its weakest result ever.

(Bild: AFP)

After the election day in Germany, one thing is clear: the SPD will almost certainly have to relinquish the chancellorship. Although Olaf Scholz, who is still in office, has ruled out an immediate resignation, a statement by the party leader indicates where the journey will take him. 

The opposition Union parties won the federal election in Germany on Sunday by a clear margin and will therefore probably provide the next chancellor with CDU leader Friedrich Merz. According to initial projections by ARD and ZDF, the right-wing populist AfD is in second place, followed by the previous chancellor's party, the SPD, with only around 16% of the vote - a drop of around 9 percentage points. 

Scholz wants to stay "until the last day"
Chancellor Scholz conceded the "election defeat" on Sunday evening, but emphasized that he wanted to remain in office as chancellor "until the last day". However, he would have nothing to do with forming a government. "Now it is up to others to find a way to form a government."

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who has been rumored as a possible vice chancellor in a CDU/CSU-led government, described the result as "catastrophic". The CDU/CSU must now keep the democratic forces together, the SPD is ready to talk.

SPD leader speaks of "tabula rasa"
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil made similarly clear statements following the historically poor election result. He announced "radical changes" and personnel consequences: "I say here with absolute clarity: the generational change in the SPD must be initiated," said the federal chairman.

The party must now be "repositioned", Klingbein continued - he even spoke of a "tabula rasa". In any case, he himself wanted to participate in "rebuilding the SPD as a popular party of the center-left".