Overview

• Saskia Esken, SPD Co-Chair, is under mounting pressure to resign following the party's poor performance in the February 2025 federal election, where it garnered only 16.4% of the vote.
• Thomas Jung, Mayor of Fürth, and former Bundestag member Dagmar Freitag have publicly criticized Esken, questioning her leadership effectiveness and public appeal.
• Critics argue that Lars Klingbeil, the current Co-Chair, should assume sole leadership to unify the party and improve its public standing.
• The SPD's dual leadership model, introduced in 2019, is facing scrutiny, with detractors claiming it has not benefited the party's stability or electoral success.
• Esken has acknowledged the need for personnel changes, with key decisions expected at the party congress this summer.