Overview

• The SPD launched its two-week digital membership vote on the coalition contract with the Union on April 15, 2025, with over 358,000 members eligible to participate.
• The SPD leadership, including Lars Klingbeil, is advocating for the current coalition deal to ensure government stability and counter the rise of opposition forces like the AfD.
• The Jusos, the SPD's youth organization, have called for members to reject the contract, demanding amendments to align it with social democratic principles and remove provisions they view as regressive.
• Regional SPD youth groups, including in Baden-Württemberg, have criticized the coalition agreement for lacking a clear vision for social justice and progress, citing issues like migration and social welfare policies.
• If the SPD base rejects the deal, potential outcomes include renegotiations, a minority government that could delay Friedrich Merz's chancellorship, or even the dissolution of the Bundestag.