Status: 02/19/2022 5:03 p.m
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At the SPD state party conference, Thomas Kutschaty was chosen as the top candidate for the state elections in May. With the promise of a “social restart”, the challenger wants to score points against Prime Minister Wüst.
Thomas Kutschaty is the SPD’s top candidate for the state elections on May 15. The 53-year-old lawyer from Essen received 96.8 percent at a hybrid state party conference in Werne on Saturday. There were 432 votes in favour, nine against and five abstentions. In the election for first place on the state list, Kuchaty even received 98.3 percent at a delegates’ conference in the afternoon. “I want to become Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia,” said Kuchaty. The SPD wants to replace the black and yellow state government and start a “social restart”.
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List has yet to be confirmed by postal vote
Behind Kutschaty in the top places on the state list are: Sarah Philipp (Duisburg), André Stinka (Coesfeld), Inge Blask (Märkischer Kreis) and Jochen Ott (Cologne). There were no contest candidates. At the digital delegate meeting, only the closer party leadership was on site in Werne. According to the party, the list still has to be confirmed by postal vote.
The state SPD passed a “government program” with a large majority. In it, the Social Democrats promise, among other things, more educational opportunities, daycare centers free of charge, affordable housing and “a plan for tomorrow’s NRW”. For example, 30 billion euros are to flow into a fund to convert industry to environmentally friendly production.
Criticism of Wüst in school politics
In his speech, Kutschaty accused Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) of offloading the problems in school politics, especially in the corona pandemic, to Minister Yvonne Gebauer (FDP). A prime minister shouldn’t be “afraid” of school politics. He will “make education a top priority again,” emphasized the SPD state and state parliamentary group leader.
Kuchaty also criticized Wüst’s no to a rental price brake. Otherwise, he saved in his speech with direct attacks on the incumbent, who has only been Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia since October 2021, succeeding Armin Laschet. The challenger gave a substantive speech, partly peppered with references to his personal history as a child of a working-class family and a father of three.
Chancellor Scholz calls for “departure” in NRW
Olaf Scholz (r) and Thomas Kuchaty
Image: dpa / Bernd Thissen
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NRW needs a “departure” and must be governed “differently”, said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in a short video greeting. He mentioned the expansion of renewable energies. According to surveys, the CDU and SPD are currently roughly on par in North Rhine-Westphalia, with Wüst currently ahead of Kuchaty when it comes to personal values. Before the NRW election, there are still state elections in Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein.
Lead candidate with government experience
The SPD last ruled in North Rhine-Westphalia from 2010 to 2017. At that time, Kuchaty was Minister of Justice in the cabinet of then Prime Minister Hannelore Kraft. In the state elections in May 2017, the red-green government was voted out. In the opposition, the SPD reorganized itself – although posts and strategy were wrestled for years. Since the beginning of 2021, Kuchaty, who had previously made a name for himself as a critic of the grand coalition in the federal government, has been head of the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Those: wdr.de
messages out
North Rhine-Westphalia
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