The leader of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), Lars Klingbeil, has announced a personnel reshuffle following the party’s defeat in the federal election. He stated at the party’s election gathering that the result is a turning point, requiring changes in the party’s program, organization and personnel.
Klingbeil emphasized the need for a generational change in the SPD, saying that the party must be restructured. This sentiment was previously expressed by Norbert Walter-Borjans, the former SPD chairman, who called the election result a “debacle” for the party.
Walter-Borjans criticized the party’s leaders, Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, saying that the SPD has become “contourless” for voters. He attributed the party’s decline to the responsibility of the entire leadership.
The former chairman urged the many talented individuals within the party to muster the courage for a renewal, which would restore the public’s faith in the SPD’s values. He added that social democracy, in its full breadth, is more needed than ever and that no one needs to “maneuver behind the scenes.