SPD elects Olaf Scholz as a party leader, a disaster in the making

The German Social Democratic Party (SPD) has officially nominated incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz as their candidate for the upcoming snap parliamentary election, a move that, while expected, is seen as having slim chances of success. This decision was made despite internal efforts in recent weeks to promote Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who is more popular among the public, as an alternative candidate. However, Pistorius himself put an end to these speculations by announcing that he would not run for the chancellorship, thereby clearing the path for Scholz’s nomination. The SPD’s party board unanimously approved Scholz’s nomination on Monday, solidifying his position as the party’s leader and chancellor candidate for the election scheduled for February 23, 2025. This comes at a time when the ruling coalition has broken down, with neither the SPD nor the Greens holding a majority in the Bundestag. The government is set to face a vote of confidence on December 16, which it is likely to lose, paving the way for early elections. Scholz’s prospects of remaining chancellor are bleak, given the current political landscape. The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) bloc, led by Friedrich Merz, has consistently polled higher than the SPD, with the CDU/CSU [...]

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