Key facts
- Germany's SPD will hold a federal party conference in December or January.
- The conference will include an election for the party's leadership.
- SPD co-leader Baerbel Bas resigned from her positions.
- Bas cited increasing public attacks, including from members of the CDU/CSU bloc, as a reason for her resignation.
- Lars Klingbeil proposed that the entire SPD leadership team stand for election.
- Klingbeil stated that the party needs a culture of mutual respect in politics.
Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) is set to hold a federal party conference in December or January to elect a new leadership team, as announced by party co-leader Lars Klingbeil. This decision comes in the wake of the resignation of SPD co-leader and Labor Minister Baerbel Bas, who stated she had faced increasing "public attacks," including from members of the CDU/CSU conservative bloc.
Klingbeil proposed that the entire SPD leadership team would stand for election at the upcoming conference. He emphasized the need for a "culture of mutual respect" in politics, even amidst competition. Klingbeil also indicated that the SPD intends to maintain its dual leadership structure with a male and female co-leader. He informed Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Alexander Schweitzer is proposed to become the new Federal Minister of Labor.