A senior official of the German Social Democratic Party’s youth wing, Juso, has issued a warning to the party’s new leadership, calling for a fundamental overhaul of the party’s program and organization. Philipp Türmer, the Juso chief, told the Handelsblatt in an interview that the party’s leadership has two years to demonstrate its commitment to change, stating, “It should not be the case that one stone remains on top of the other.”
Türmer expressed concerns that not all members of the party’s leadership have yet to fully grasp the severity of the crisis the party is facing. He emphasized that a change in the party’s fundamental attitude is necessary before any other changes can be made.
The Juso chief specifically highlighted the need for a change in attitude from Lars Klingbeil, the party’s general secretary, who he believes has a history of prioritizing power politics over the party’s interests. Türmer suggested that if Klingbeil can demonstrate a genuine commitment to the party’s goals, then the changes he is calling for may be possible.
Türmer also expressed high expectations for Bärbel Bas, the party’s labor minister, stating that the minimum wage should be at least 15 euros per hour. He criticized the party’s proposed minimum wage bill, saying that the current proposal is lower than the recommended minimum wage and that the final decision will ultimately be a political one.
Furthermore, the Juso chief sharply criticized the government’s draft bill on military service, presented by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, a member of the SPD. Türmer argued that the party has previously decided to focus on voluntary military service and that the government’s proposal goes against this stance. He emphasized that if the party is serious about voluntary military service, it should first try it and not leave a backdoor open for alternative solutions.