SPD leader Klingbeil makes an early start
“Going into the next election campaign with Olaf Scholz”
January 17, 2024, 9:55 a.m
Despite the poor poll numbers, the SPD is going into the federal election campaign with Olaf Scholz as its candidate for chancellor – and the security authorities would have to consider banning the AfD. That’s what SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil says in the early start. Internationally, the federal government must prepare for Donald Trump as the next president of the USA.
Despite the poor poll numbers for the SPD, SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil has spoken out in favor of once again running with Olaf Scholz as candidate for chancellor in the next federal election campaign. “The Chancellor is Olaf Scholz and we are going into the next election campaign with him,” said Klingbeil in the ntv early start. “There’s no question about that. But it’s also clear that this year, in 2024, we have major political tasks to tackle. I’m sure the Chancellor will fight his way back.”
The low approval ratings for Olaf Scholz personally and the SPD as a whole did not change this. “I know the values, I know how difficult the situation is. But the SPD has often fought its way out of exactly this kind of situation,” Klingbeil continued. “We now need a focus on the issues that are important. It’s about the working middle, those who get up in the morning, who go to work diligently, who make sure that this store runs. It’s about us Stabilize the economy. And it’s also about us defending our democracy against those who plan to significantly change this country.”
The AfD’s “pawn sacrifice” is “eyewash”
Klingbeil would like to leave it up to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to decide whether a ban should be opened against the AfD. “The security authorities have to assess this,” said the SPD leader. “What became clear about the AfD last week shows that they are enemies of the constitution. And then the state also has the opportunity to defend itself.” The current surveys, in which the AfD performed significantly better than the SPD, played no role. “It’s not about the question of who is where in the polls, but rather the question of whether our democracy is in danger and our constitution is under attack.”
The debate about the so-called deportation summit in Potsdam did not end with the expulsion of AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel’s personal advisor. “That was a farce yesterday,” said the SPD politician. There is indeed this pawn sacrifice, but that is just eyewash. “There is no word of remorse, no distancing, no apology to the millions of people that the AfD has caused fear and terror in this country. And that also shows that the AfD wants to take exactly this path.”
When asked whether he thinks Alice Weidel is a National Socialist, Klingbeil says: “I think she is a right-wing extremist. She has responsibility in a right-wing extremist party. And yes, the AfD is also riddled with Nazis in Europe.” This also applies to co-chairman Tino Chrupalla. “Anyone who is responsible in the AfD is a convinced right-wing extremist.”
“We will then no longer have a reliable partner in the White House”
After the Iowa primary election results, Klingbeil advises the federal government to prepare for former US President Donald Trump to move back into the White House. “We have to prepare for that because I think that the numbers that we are currently seeing in the USA indicate that he has a very serious chance. And we can all roughly imagine what a second term in office would be like of Donald Trump,” said the SPD politician.
“Europe would have to take on more responsibility in terms of global politics. We would then no longer have a reliable partner in the White House. And in this respect, the expectation that I have of the federal government, but also of the European Union, is that they prepare for a second term in office. “
He doesn’t personally know any politician who is close to Trump, but he keeps in touch with Republicans. “I met a lot of very decent, pleasant people to talk to there, and some of them are bothered by Trump. And I have great hope that in the end Trump will not be the Republican candidate. But the first result from Iowa doesn’t bother me optimistic.”