A former leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Norbert Walter-Borjans, is calling for a debate on a new foundation program for the party. In an interview with the “Stern” magazine, Walter-Borjans expressed his enthusiasm for a broad discussion on the new program, stating that the SPD should not be reduced to a mere “supplement for conservative politics”.
The ex-SPD chief emphasized that the party’s most successful period was when workers knew the party was fighting for their rights and a broad section of society recognized the need for a strong social democratic force in the country, one that equally prioritizes the environment, culture and peace.
Walter-Borjans suggested that the key to reviving the party’s core issues is to reconnect them with one another and to move them out of the realm of intellectual debates. He believes that a program discussion could be sparked by exploring this idea.
Notably, Walter-Borjans stressed the importance of not merely producing a draft that would eventually be shelved. This call for a new foundation program follows a recent suggestion by the former SPD faction leader, Rolf Mützenich, who urged the party to assess whether its current program remains relevant. The new SPD faction vice, Armand Zorn, has also expressed support for the idea, as the current foundation program, the “Hamburger Program”, was adopted in October 2007.