SPD party conference in Berlin: Ecological transformation and new leadership!

SPD party conference in Berlin: Ecological transformation and new leadership!

At the recently held SPD party conference in Berlin, the work of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the previous co-chair Saskia Esken was honored. The delegates formulated comprehensive resolutions on key economic and labor issues. In his speech, Scholz recalled that his time in government had brought successes for the country and he called on the party to work particularly hard for the weak in society. He also expressed relief that the achievements of his term in office will not be rolled back.

Scholz spoke openly about the SPD's election defeat and the urgency of achieving better results in the future. Esken said goodbye with a call for renewal and thanked her for the support during her six-year term at the top of the party. Bärbel Bas received 95 percent of the votes in the board election and will be the new co-party leader alongside Lars Klingbeil.

Decisions on the economy and work

During the party conference, the party committed itself to the ecological transformation of the economy. A central point was the demand for the federal government to organize a steel summit in which all companies and steel locations should take part. This measure is part of support for green steel as well as electromobility and hydrogen economy, which are seen as key areas for future development.

In the debate on labor market policy, however, there were massive objections to the planned move away from the eight-hour day, as set out in the current coalition agreement. Critics also emphasized that the legal minimum wage should remain below 15 euros and that there are exceptions for seasonal workers. The SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch urgently called for support for the work of the Social Democratic government.

Political warnings and solidarity

A guest speaker, Özgür Özel, warned during the party conference about the threat to democracy in Turkey. The party congress unanimously called for the release of the imprisoned Turkish opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu, which underlines the SPD's international solidarity.

The decisions and discussions at this party conference reflect the challenges the SPD faces while committed to social justice and environmental sustainability. These issues will continue to be central in the coming weeks and months as the party seeks to consolidate its position in Germany's political landscape.

For further details about the resolutions and the current political situation, see the reporting from Deutschlandfunk and star recommended.