German Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) leader Lars Klingbeil is set to take on the additional role of chairing the parliamentary faction, following the party’s historic defeat in the federal election.
According to a letter written by the outgoing faction chief Rolf Mützenich to the SPD’s Bundestag members, the party leadership has come to the conclusion that it is in the best interest for younger individuals to take the reins and consolidate the party’s forces. Klingbeil was unanimously proposed for the position by the party leadership, Mützenich stated.
In an interview with ARD’s Tagesthemen, Klingbeil also confirmed the news, mentioning that Saskia Esken is expected to remain co-leader. The election of the new SPD faction chief is scheduled for Wednesday.
The SPD has recorded its historically worst election result, with preliminary estimates from ARD and ZDF indicating a 16.5% share of the vote, a decrease from previous Bundestag elections and even lower than the party’s performance in the Weimar Republic, with the exception of 1933, when the party received 18.3% of the vote under the pressure of the Nazi regime.