A leading German pollster has expressed skepticism about the chances of Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader Lars Klingbeil becoming the next German Chancellor. According to Manfred Güllner, the head of the Forsa Institute, the SPD’s current situation is “dramatically bad, the worst it has ever been” since the formation of the grand coalition. Güllner believes that the party’s voter base is shrinking and Klingbeil lacks the necessary competence to develop a clear political profile.
Güllner attributes the SPD’s recent electoral defeat in part to Klingbeil’s decision to support Olaf Scholz as the party’s candidate for Chancellor, rather than Boris Pistorius, who is widely popular among the German public. The pollster claims that Klingbeil’s failure to back Pistorius as the party’s candidate has cost the SPD several percentage points and has damaged the party’s chances of winning the next election.
Güllner also criticized Klingbeil for allowing his co-leader, Saskia Esken, to take the lead in the party, which he believes has further damaged the SPD’s prospects. He accused Klingbeil of using his power to block Pistorius’s candidacy and to become the sole leader of the party, driven by a personal desire for power.
While Güllner acknowledged that Klingbeil is a skilled politician, he expressed doubt that the SPD leader would relinquish the party’s nomination for Chancellor to Pistorius, who is widely seen as a more popular and effective candidate. Güllner’s comments suggest that the SPD’s chances of winning the next election are slim and that the party’s internal power struggles may continue to hinder its progress.