If the SPD participates in government again, Andreas Geisel will most likely not be a member of the new Senate. Within the SPD and in the ranks of the previous coalition partners it is said quietly that Geisel’s remaining in a government post is out of the question. Even confidants of the incumbent urban development senator have made no secret of it for weeks.
The SPD’s adherence to Geisel was a mistake at the latest after the re-election was ordered, it said on Wednesday. The signal not to take responsibility for mistakes made cost the already weakened party more votes, party friends Geisels said on Wednesday.
A real new start – whether on the side of the Greens and Left or in cooperation with the victorious CDU – can only be credibly represented without Geisel.
Only the Green MP Antje Kapek, who had taken part in the Senate meetings with Geisel for many years during her time as parliamentary group leader, also spoke publicly.
“The political competition was very pleased that the SPD did not draw any conclusions from the election debacle,” explained Kapek, referring to the SPD’s retention of its incumbent urban development senator.
In fact, the CDU in particular had repeatedly pointed out the political responsibility of the former Interior Senator Geisel for the breakdowns in the 2021 House of Representatives elections. In the weeks before the election, CDU General Secretary Stefan Evers made it fun to ask every day whether Geisel was still in office. There was talk of a “gift to the CDU” within the coalition on Wednesday.
The SPD said that Giffey, weakened by the poor election result, lacked the power within the party to hold the hostage she supported.
SPD, Greens and Left advise six hours
Before the second round of exploratory talks between the SPD, the Greens and the Left on Thursday, representatives of all parties emphasized that the focus was on content and not people. After the three partners had critically examined the previous cooperation in their first meeting on Tuesday, it was now time to deal with disputed points.
“The big chunks” should be tackled, it was said in the run-up to the meeting, with a view to the different ideas, for example in housing and transport policy. The government partners, who came together at the invitation of the SPD, had estimated six hours of consultation time. Twice as much as on Tuesday. A third meeting is scheduled for Monday.
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