Germany German SPD leader sticks to "traffic light" despite election losses

Following the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, German SPD leader Saskia Esken is sticking to the cooperation of the "traffic light" coalition of SPD, FDP and Greens at federal level.

"We still have a lot to do," said Esken on Deutschlandfunk radio the day after the election. The coalition had taken on important issues at federal level, such as the pension package and strengthening the economy. "I am therefore confident that we will continue to work well together," Esken emphasized.

According to provisional figures, the SPD achieved its worst result in a state election in Thuringia since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949 with 6.1 percent. In Saxony, the SPD achieved 7.3 percent according to preliminary results.

For the two coalition partners in the federal government, the Greens and the FDP, the election evening was accompanied by bitter losses: the Greens left parliament in Thuringia with 3.2 percent, as did the FDP with 1.1 percent. According to preliminary results, the Greens only just made it over the five percent mark in Saxony.

This is a "bitter result" for the "traffic light" (SPD, FDP, Greens), said Esken. Federal and international issues such as migration had played a major role in the state election campaign. Her party must take this seriously. In addition, the SPD must "show a stronger presence" in the East, said Esken.

On the question of whether Chancellor Olaf Scholz is still the right campaigner for the future despite defeats, Esken said: "Olaf Scholz is a strong Chancellor who will also lead us into the Bundestag election campaign as our candidate for Chancellor, and we will also win this election together with him."