Latest news with #RolfMützenich
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Some German Social Democrats call for diplomatic talks with Russia
Prominent figures from Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) have signed a manifesto calling for diplomatic talks with Russia, in what appears to be a stand-off over the defence policy of the coalition government, in which the SPD is the junior partner. The position paper, which has been made available to dpa and has been signed by more than 100 people, laments a "compulsion to increase armament and prepare for a supposedly imminent war." "Military alarm rhetoric and huge armament programmes do not create more security for Germany and Europe, but lead to destabilization and a strengthening of the mutual perception of threat between NATO and Russia," the document states. While it is unclear whether all signatories are members of the SPD, prominent party figures including the former leader of the parliamentary group Rolf Mützenich, former party chief Norbert Walter-Borjans and foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner are among them, as are several federal and state lawmakers. Dubbed "Manifesto," the paper could cause a stir at the SPD party conference scheduled for later this month, where the party is set to elect a new leadership following its disastrous showing in February's parliamentary elections. Coming off the heels of leading a squabbling three-party coalition, the SPD, one of Germany's two traditional mainstream forces, was relegated to third place behind the conservative bloc and the far-right Alternative for Germany. The party conference will be preceded by the NATO summit in The Hague, where member states are expected to agree on a significant hike in defence expenditure.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's SPD: Conservatives have 'broken out of political centre'
The parliamentary leader of Germany's governing Social Democrats (SPD) requested that an ongoing parliamentary session be paused following his shock at the approval of a motion in favour of a tighter migration policy. The opposition Christian Democrats (CDU) relied on the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to push through the motion - although the government does not have to implement the proposals. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich said it was impossible to "simply go back to business as usual" because the conservative bloc had "broken out of the political centre." Ahead of the German election on February 23, mainstream parties had all said they would not work with the AfD. But CDU leader Friedrich Merz, the favourite to be Germany's next chancellor, said he would accept the AfD's backing because of his strength of feeling over the migration issue.
