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Kevin Kuehnert and Olaf Scholz
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
The new SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert wants to support Chancellor Olaf Scholz, but does not see this as his only task. "I don't serve Olaf Scholz either, but the SPD," he told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Saturday). »Olaf Scholz is chancellor of the SPD, so what I do is geared towards enabling him to do his job successfully. But the interests of the SPD go even further – in terms of time and program.« The SPD is concerned with more »than we could agree with the FDP and the Greens for one election period«.
As Juso boss, Kühnert had made a name for himself as an opponent of Scholz.
In the interview, he denied changing his stance.
"A general secretary who is a turncoat would not succeed in his office," he said.
"I'm the same person I've always been - who else?" However, in politics, one is elected to office to do a specific job, he added.
"As Secretary General, I have the task of communicating how the SPD wants to shape politics, and I'm working on the further development of their program."
Boldly attacks Merz
Kühnert set the goal of surpassing the result of the last federal election of 25.7 percent. "Of course, we want to further improve our results by proving that you can rely on us." "Corona is a burden for social commitment," he said. The classic party life on site, the summer festivals and local association meetings are missing.
The CDU is meeting digitally this weekend to elect Friedrich Merz as the new party leader.
Kühnert says about him: "I think he's a Merz in sheep's clothing." Merz is trying tactically to create a new image.
"He seems to have noticed that the socio-political positions he has presented in Germany no longer win majorities and that he is also scaring off potential coalition partners," said Kühnert.
dop/dpa
