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Lars Klingbeil in front of the Willy Brandt statue in the SPD party headquarters
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Kay Nietfeld / dpa
After the announcement of the withdrawal by SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, the SPD wants to decide quickly on the new party leadership.
In the party, it is firmly expected that General Secretary Lars Klingbeil will take over the chairmanship of the party.
He himself has now commented on this in an interview - but neither confirmed nor denied a candidacy.
"I am very honored that my name is mentioned for the role of SPD chairman," he told the editorial network Germany (RND).
"The chairmanship is a very important, traditional and attractive office in which you can achieve a lot," said Klingbeil when asked whether it would be more attractive for him to become party leader or to take on a ministerial office.
Klingbeil did not respond to the ministerial option.
At the same time, he emphasized: "In principle, it is not mutually exclusive to be the SPD chairman and hold a ministerial office." That was also the case in the past.
“Nevertheless, we have to ask ourselves: what is the current situation?
The SPD is entering a new government alliance with a Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, "said Klingbeil and added:" The party requires a great deal of attention. "
Walter-Borjans, who has led the party with Saskia Esken since 2019, announced his withdrawal on Friday: He did not want to run for another term at the SPD party conference from December 10 to 12.
According to party circles, Esken wants to decide by next Monday whether she will run again.
According to a survey by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of the Funke media group (Wednesday), the citizens see Secretary General Klingbeil in the lead in the replacement of the SPD leadership.
When asked who should replace Walter-Borjans as party leader in the dual leadership of the SPD, 18 percent voted for Klingbeil.
In second place was the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, with 14 percent.
15 percent of those questioned answered "someone else", 18 percent said "don't know".
Among the SPD supporters, 27 percent voted for Klingbeil and 23 percent for Schwesig.
5048 people were interviewed for the survey between October 29 and November 2.
aar / dpa / AFP