Friday 5th November 2021
Reconnected with voters
Scholz: Experience the revival of social democracy
During his visit to Sweden, SPD chancellor candidate Scholz speaks of an internationally noticeable resurgence of social democracy. He emphasized the inspiring work especially from the northern countries for the domestic election success.
SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz observes an international resurgence of social democracy. “We are currently experiencing – and we are part of it – a remarkable revival of social democratic and progressive parties across Europe and the world,” said the acting federal finance minister at the party conference of the Swedish social democrats in Gothenburg.
Social Democrats in Denmark, Finland and most recently in Norway are on the rise again, and party friends in Portugal and Spain are doing well. “We were all very inspiring. And Joe Biden’s win in the United States gave us all a boost of extra encouragement,” said Scholz. With this tailwind, the SPD went into the election campaign for the federal election.
The subsequent electoral success of his party was basically due to the fact that he had succeeded in reconnecting with the voters. “This approach can be summarized in a central idea, a central category, a clear, moral argument: respect.” Respect is what everyone expects in life. As a social democrat, you have to stand up for issues that matter to real people.
At the party conference the day before, Swedish Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson was elected as the new party leader. In doing so, she succeeded Prime Minister Stefan Löfven at the head of the party, whom the Prime Minister wishes to inherit in the highest political office in the country. Andersson presented Scholz, whom she knows from meetings of EU finance ministers, as “one of the most skilful politicians in Europe”. Scholz said to the delegates on the election of the 54-year-olds: “You couldn’t have made a better choice.” The German word that Andersson believes best describes is “sincerity,” he said in his speech, which is otherwise in English.