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Nahles and Scholz (in May 2019): "He managed to discipline the SPD"
Photo: DAVID HECKER / EPA-EFE / REX
The former party and parliamentary group leader of the SPD, Andrea Nahles, has spoken for the first time after a long silence with statements about her party and its candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz.
"Olaf Scholz does it well, the SPD's current polls are his success," she told SPIEGEL.
"He managed to discipline the SPD."
Nahles had worked closely with Scholz until her resignation a good two years ago.
Both had agreed early on on a division of labor, Nahles should lead the party, Scholz take over the candidacy for chancellor.
But then she resigned as party and parliamentary leader in early summer 2019.
"I always thought Olaf Scholz was the right candidate for Chancellor and now see myself confirmed," said Nahles.
Since leaving politics, Nahles has been very reluctant to make public statements. Now she is breaking her silence in the current election campaign and supporting her former comrade-in-arms.
Scholz is often described as sober and dry, according to Nahles.
"But he is actually a passionate politician who burns for his cause."
In an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung recently, Scholz himself had not ruled out the possibility that Nahles could take on another political office in the future.
When asked whether the way back into politics would be open to the former SPD chairman under him as Chancellor, Scholz said: “If Andrea Nahles decides for herself at some point that she wants to go back into politics, then many would be very happy .
I am one of them. "
Nahles has headed the Federal Agency for Post and Telecommunications for a little over a year.
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