Overview

• Prominent SPD members, including Gerhard Gaiser and Thomas Jung, oppose Saskia Esken's potential appointment as a minister, urging her to step aside before the party's internal vote on the coalition agreement.
• Katrin Lange, Brandenburg's SPD Interior Minister, has emphasized the need for new leadership and a policy shift to address public dissatisfaction and restore trust.
• Esken defends her position, arguing that the SPD must focus on delivering results to counter the AfD's growing influence, which recent polls show rivaling the CDU/CSU.
• The SPD faces mounting pressure to demonstrate a commitment to personnel renewal and policy changes following its poor February electoral performance.
• Coalition negotiations with the CDU/CSU are nearing conclusion, with unresolved disputes over ministerial appointments and key policy areas complicating the process.