Gerhard Schröder criticizes the vote on the new SPD chairmen. "I considered the procedure to be unfortunate and the result confirms my skepticism," said the former Chancellor to SPIEGEL.
After months of searching, the SPD presented Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken on Saturday as the winner of the membership decision. They achieved 53 percent of the votes, Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Klara Geywitz came only to 45 percent of the vote.
Voter turnout was 54 percent. Walter-Borjans and Esken are to be elected at the party congress next weekend as the new SPD chairman. They are considered grossko-skeptical and want to renegotiate with the Union. Since it is unclear whether the CDU and CSU are getting involved, the Grand Coalition is facing a severe stress test.
In the video: Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken facing new task
Kay Nietfeld / dpa
Initial reactions from the other parties were also surprised. Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP, wrote on Twitter: "I'm completely baffled". Party colleague and Bundestag Vice-President Wolfgang Kubicki sees the SPD "in freefall," as he said to the "Welt am Sonntag": "We are preparing for new elections or the disintegration of the CDU, if they give in to the further expected demands of the Social Democrats."
Coalition partner CDU stressed that the election does not change the previous decisions. "We look forward to a trusting cooperation for the benefit of our country," said Paul Ziemiak, Secretary General of the CDU. "The internal decision of the SPD has not changed anything on the basis of the Grand Coalition," continued Ziemiak.