Overview
- Saskia Esken faces mounting pressure to resign as SPD co-chair, with critics citing her lack of support within the party and among voters.
- The SPD's poor performance in the February Bundestag election, securing only 16.4% of the vote, has intensified scrutiny of its leadership structure.
- Thomas Jung and Dagmar Freitag are among those advocating for Esken's departure, questioning the effectiveness of the dual leadership model.
- Lars Klingbeil is increasingly seen as a unifying figure, with calls for him to lead the SPD alone as a 'strong personality' and 'hope for the future.'
- Critics compare Klingbeil's potential solo leadership to the strong, centralized leadership of former SPD leader Willy Brandt, emphasizing the need for a strategic shift.