In the midst of the controversy within the traffic light coalition over military support for Ukraine, the SPD is discussing its fundamental position on foreign and security policy. This Monday, the party’s executive committee will discuss the paper “Social Democratic Responses to a World in Transition”, which the party’s own Commission for International Politics (KIP) had prepared.
“It is time to redefine our own role in the world and to take more responsibility for what is the basis for our prosperity, freedom and peace: a rules-based international order,” the paper says.
Protect Europe from Russia
Looking at German foreign policy, which has been shaped by social democracy for many years, self-criticism can be heard: Germany has relied exclusively on a cooperative future with Russia for too long. As long as nothing fundamental changes in Russia, “Europe’s security from Russia” must be organized. The SPD’s 2021 election manifesto said: “There can only be peace in Europe against Russia, only with it.”
In the SPD’s basic program of 2007, which is still valid, the strategic partnership with Russia is described as “indispensable”. The paper also states that the Bundeswehr must be equipped in such a way that it can fully perform its tasks at all times.
However, the SPD’s reluctance to deliver battle tanks raises the question of the extent to which the party has really abandoned these ideas. The chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), described SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich on Twitter as “the symbol of all the central misconduct in German foreign policy”.
She wrote: “His views of yesterday lead to tomorrow’s problems. He is no longer able to adapt his world view to reality.” Mützenich had accused Strack-Zimmermann of trying to talk Germany into “a military conflict”.