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Michael Müller is still chairman of the Berlin SPD - Franziska Giffey (right) wants to take over with Raed Saleh
Photo:
Gregor Fischer / dpa
The Berlin SPD has canceled its party conference planned for Saturday.
The dynamics of the corona crisis do not allow such a meeting, it was said after a meeting of the SPD state executive.
At the party congress, the SPD actually wanted to elect Federal Family Minister Franziska Giffey and the Berlin SPD parliamentary group leader Raed Saleh as the new dual leadership.
Now Giffey, Saleh and the still incumbent party leader Michael Müller are to work out a proposal on how to proceed.
With a view to the election to the House of Representatives and the Bundestag election in the coming year, the focus will be on personnel issues, the list of candidates and election programs as well as legally secure procedures.
Digital possibilities should also be considered for an orderly transition phase.
Date already rescheduled
The capital SPD actually wanted to elect its new party leadership in May.
But because of the corona pandemic, the date was postponed to October 31.
According to previous plans, the party congress should take place with around 280 delegates in a Neukölln hotel with strict rules on distance and hygiene.
On Wednesday, Müller announced that the party convention plans would be "critically" examined again in view of the corona restrictions decided by the federal and state governments.
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On the way up: The upcoming leadership duo of the Berlin SPD Franziska Giffey and Raed Saleh
Photo: Wolfgang Kumm / picture alliance / dpa
In view of the new situation, Giffey was accepted as a co-opted member of the SPD state executive committee.
Governing Mayor Müller is currently still head of the SPD.
As it was said after the meeting of the state executive, the 55-year-old offered to withdraw from the party leadership to enable a fresh start.
But that was rejected.
Müller is running for the Bundestag in 2021 and prevailed against his current State Secretary Sawsan Chebli in a member survey.
Until the election, Müller will remain Berlin's head of government.
Giffey is expected to be the top candidate for the House of Representatives election in the fall of 2021.
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hba / dpa / AFP