Power struggle in Regensburg: Zoff about the state parliament candidate for the SPD - comrade is "pissed off"

Created: 06/18/2022, 07:37

By: Stefan Aigner

Margit Wild (centre) is met with headwind with her desire to run for state parliament again: Ronja Endres has announced a candidacy, and Sebastian Koch is still thinking about it.

© Lennart Preiss/Michael Bothner

The Regensburg member of the state parliament Margit Wild would like to run again in the next election.

But this met with clear opposition from her comrades.

Regensburg – "I know my strengths and I'm self-confident," says Margit Wild (SPD), a member of the Regensburg state parliament.

As an incumbent, you have to concede to her that she also represents her own interests and: "As a woman, I am also entitled to claim power, even if many people are only used to it from men."

Power struggle for candidacy for the state parliament in Regensburg: Advance by Margit Wild "irritates" comrades

Wild is reacting to criticism of her announcement that she wants to stand again for the Regensburg SPD in the upcoming state election campaign.

On Wednesday, the 64-year-old rushed to the front of the

and clearly caused irritation among her party members.

So far, it was assumed there that after two legislative periods, she would make room for a successor.

At first glance, Wild's solo effort wasn't a clumsy move.

The Regensburg comrades, especially those who had previously had hopes of running for office themselves, were caught off guard by this publication.

You now have to weigh up: Do you let the incumbent take precedence so as not to run the risk of starting a public dispute, damaging the party, competitors or even yourself and reducing your chances of being elected, or do you take the chance?

Zoff about the state parliament candidacy in Regensburg SPD: Margit Wild surprised party friends

But despite all these considerations, there is clear criticism.

The SPD city association chairman Raphael Birnstiel is "irritated" by Wild's advance.

He talks about it on the train returning from Berlin, where he was sitting with the sub-district chairman and Mayor of Wenzenbach, Sebastian Koch.

Both had just had the SPD member of the Bundestag Dr.

Carolin Wagner paid her inaugural visit and was informed of her decision by Wild a few hours before publication.

"We are grateful to Mrs. Margit Wild for her willingness to continue to support the local voters in the Bavarian state parliament and thus for her application for a candidacy," said Birnstiel and his co-chairman Claudia in a first reaction Neumaier.

But: “There are still some internal party processes for the candidacy.

Therefore, in the end, the delegates of the constituency conference will decide who will stand for the constituency.

As far as we know, there are potentially other people who might be interested.”

Power struggle for state parliament candidacy: SPD state leader competes against Wild

So far, these have been Thomas Burger, head of the SPD city council group, the SPD state chairwoman Ronja Endres and Sebastian Koch.

While Burger makes no public claims, but is bothered by the public advance, it is different with Koch and Endres.

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The 35-year-old Endres is quite combative in an internal party mail.

It's an open secret that she and Wild don't get along.

However, Endres is considered the favorite of the city association board.

And she will probably make it to a fight candidacy with Margit Wild.

She is pleased that "numerous comrades from all over the Upper Palatinate" have approached her about a candidacy, according to the internal party e-mail announcing her candidacy.

She is now looking forward to future talks.

Margit Wild wants to go back to the state parliament: the potential successor is "pissed off"

Sebastian Koch, who was still considered her favorite to succeed him until Wild's re-decision, is still keeping a low profile in public.

Internally, he is said to have really raged.

Wild stabbed him in the back after she "disappeared politically" and he "tidyed up her shop," he is quoted as saying by confidants.

"He's pissed off," said a confidant of the 34-year-old.

When asked, Koch makes it clear, despite the moderate choice of words, that it could not be as easy for Margit Wild as she imagines.

He feels very comfortable in Wenzenbach and wants to successfully implement a few more projects there, but: as SPD sub-district chairman, he naturally “also has the right to advance the SPD beyond Wenzenbach”.

Among other things, this requires candidates “who work diligently for their fresh ideas and for social democracy”.

A clear dig at Wild, which has hardly appeared in the last two years and has completely withdrawn from party work on site.

The SPD is well advised to "think about it in the responsible committees and to rely on a democratic approach to finding candidates," said Koch.

Party youth opposes Margit Wild: "There are better candidates."

Koch is currently not commenting on whether he will be willing to take part in a campaign with Wild at the delegates' conference in September.

However, various SPD representatives do not give him bad chances.

He is likely to bring some votes from the district communities of Lappersdorf, Pentling and Wenzenbach that belong to the constituency and can count on the support of the Jusos.

In a first reaction, the district chairman, Alexander Roth, makes it clear that he thinks it is "completely legitimate" for Margit Wild to run again.

“But the days of incumbent bonuses are over.

A mayor who was elected with 71 percent and a state chairman have every right to run and I think they are the better candidates," said Roth.

Margit Wild on critics: "Young people don't understand that."

Margit Wild seems at least a little surprised by the headwind, but says: "It's quite legitimate if some people don't like it." Nevertheless, she is entitled to make claims.

She has had to experience several painful personal cuts in recent years - the death of her parents and her partner.

On the one hand, it is clear that one should consider whether one wants to continue to be politically active.

On the other hand, you have to allow her that she can change her mind after a certain period of reflection.

"Even if a lot of young people can't understand it yet," says the 64-year-old.