Berlin’s Economy Senator, Franziska Giffey, the former Federal Family Minister and Governing Mayor of Berlin, is calling for a personnel renewal at the top of the SPD after the party’s poor election results.
“After the historically poor election results of the SPD on the previous Sunday, it is obvious that consequences must be drawn from this in the party” Giffey told the “Tagesspiegel” (Wednesday edition). This applies both to the party’s programmatic orientation and the federal party leadership.
“A simple ‘business as usual’ with the same people in charge cannot, in my opinion, be the answer to the necessary question of renewal” she said. Lars Klingbeil’s words about a ‘generational change’ must now be quickly filled with life. “There are capable people in the party who could now take on more responsibility. This must be enabled” she said.
Falk Wagner, Chairman of the SPD in Bremen, expressed great incomprehension at the approach of the party chairman, who shortly after the election results became known, claimed the faction leadership for himself. “It did not go well at all with our party base when the party chairman, in the moment of the bitterest defeat, initially occupied a top post with himself” Wagner told the newspaper. “The ‘generational change’ announced by Lars Klingbeil is important, so it must mean more than just one person with it.