Pistorius on the lookout Will the SPD topple Scholz in his absence?

The question of who will run for chancellor has not yet been decided in the SPD. Influential Social Democrats have spoken out, particularly from North Rhine-Westphalia, the state association with the largest number of members.

Who will be the SPD's candidate for chancellor? Olaf Scholz has the support of the party leadership and members of the party cabinet. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is much more popular in the polls. He does not rule out running for chancellor in principle, but emphasizes his loyalty to Scholz and explains that the chancellorship does not correspond to his life plan.

The SPD is polling at 15 to 16 percent, while the CDU/CSU with chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz is at least twice as strong. At the same time, unlike Scholz, Pistorius is one of the most popular politicians in Germany. A new survey confirms this. In the weekly ranking of politicians compiled by the Insa Institute for "Bild", Pistorius is at the top. In contrast, Scholz has slipped from 19th to 20th and last place, according to the newspaper for the first time.

In this mixed situation, a joint statement by Wiebke Esdar and Dirk Wiese, chairpersons of the NRW regional group in the SPD parliamentary group, carries weight. Both are also chairpersons of the powerful currents within the SPD parliamentary group - Esdar as spokesperson for the Parliamentary Left, Wiese as spokesperson for the conservative Seeheimer Kreis.

Two party wings: "A lot of support for Boris Pistorius"

"Ultimately, the party committees will decide on the question of the chancellor candidacy, and that is the right place to do so," both explained. There is a debate in the SPD about the best political line-up for the Bundestag elections, they admitted. And: "We are hearing a lot of encouragement for Boris Pistorius."

And Scholz's reputation is strongly linked to the traffic light coalition, Esdar and Wiese pointed out. The head of the SPD parliamentary group in the NRW state parliament, Jochen Ott, is also not committing himself. "The mere fact that the SPD has two cabinet members who are expected to become chancellor shows that we are basically well positioned for this election campaign," Ott said in an interview with "Welt".

Juso leader Philipp Türmer also believes that the question of the SPD candidate for chancellor has not yet been decided. Several local politicians and two members of the Bundestag, Joe Weingarten and Johannes Arlt, had already clearly positioned themselves in favor of Pistorius.

Scholz supporters in the party leadership and cabinet

However, Scholz also has important supporters such as the two party leaders Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil. Saarland's Minister President Anke Rehlinger, who is also deputy party leader, told the magazine "Stern": "The SPD is providing the chancellor, which is a great opportunity.

That's why Olaf Scholz is the natural and right candidate for chancellor." Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND): "It is clear to me that the Chancellor will be our candidate." Scholz had "prudently and decisively led the country through difficult times of crisis".

"For me, Olaf Scholz is set," Health Minister Karl Lauterbach seconded in the ARD program "Hart aber fair". Former SPD chairman Martin Schulz, who failed as a candidate for chancellor in 2017, emphasized in the "Rheinische Post": "The chancellor is the chancellor and is running again as such. I find that logical."

A no, but from Pistorius

The Federal Minister of Defense could not get past the K-question in the evening at an event organized by the Bavarian media group in Passau on the topic of "People in Europe". "In politics, you should never rule anything out, no matter what it's about," said Pistorius, who had already spoken out against exclusionitis at other events.

He also praised Scholz, saying that he was doing a really good job. "And he has said he wants to carry on. That's the most normal thing in the world."

"First of all, I am a deeply loyal person, and secondly, I never planned to become defense minister or even chancellor, so I'll do the devil and say to myself now: I'll do it, I'm running now. No, you won't hear that from me. I'm a party soldier." Pistorius added: "It's not in my life plan and, to be honest, it doesn't have to be."

"Decide in a night session if necessary"

In the view of former SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, the party should not take much longer to clarify the K issue. On the one hand, Walter-Borjans praised Scholz for saving the country from many threats in an extremely difficult time in the "Rheinische Post".

At the same time, he emphasized: "However, it is also true that Merz could only be prevented with a chancellor who has the strength to make the difference in a self-critical and approachable manner over the last few meters. That has been Olaf Scholz's weak point so far". Those responsible must now "please decide quickly", Walter-Borjans demanded, "in an overnight meeting if necessary."