Klingbeil leaves SPD leadership future open: "Not about clinging to office"
After Bärbel Bas resigned, the vice chancellor wants to keep the dual leadership but would not say whether he will run again. The entire SPD leadership is to be re-elected around the turn of the year.
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Social Democrat co-leader Lars Klingbeil has left open whether he will run again for the party leadership following Bärbel Bas's resignation. "I know what criticism there is," the vice chancellor and finance minister told ZDF's "heute journal" on Monday evening. It was "also not about me clinging to office," he said. He wants to keep the dual leadership, AFP reported.
The SPD's entire leadership team is to be re-elected at a party congress around the turn of the year. According to Klingbeil, the party leadership will decide jointly whom to nominate for the top posts; policy questions also need to be settled. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is seen as a possible candidate but has denied any ambitions.
Speaking to ARD, Klingbeil said "limits were crossed" in the attacks on Bas. Earlier on Monday, he had called the attacks during her period of mourning "indecent." Despite her bereavement, Bas had sent several bills into early coordination, and the timetable for the pension reform had been kept, he said. Conservative politicians had accused her of delaying agreed reforms.