Overview

• Franz Müntefering praised Lars Klingbeil for stepping in immediately after the SPD’s February election defeat and credited him with stabilizing party leadership.
• He faulted Olaf Scholz’s muted engagement in the campaign and questioned his claim to a second chancellorship bid.
• Müntefering urged the SPD to deliver a clear, compelling agenda to restore public trust ahead of its governing responsibilities.
• He described relations with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU/CSU coalition as cordial and cautioned against unchecked criticism in policy debates.
• Müntefering confirmed a continuing rift with Gerhard Schröder over Ukraine war policy, underscoring generational divides within the party.