Quite an alarming read Katja. I recall a commentator saying of the left wing of UK Labour that adherents focused upon the purity of the message rather than the acquisition or retention of power. I wonder if that has afflicted the SPD? Populists such as Reform UK and the AfD have an easy time, they can just say whatever pleases, rarely having to deliver. The constituents of Clacton have discovered that their Reform MP is not remotely interested in the dull life of a constituency MP. On countless councils throughout England the voters have discovered that a great many Reform UK councillors are simply not up to the job. It looks bleak for the SPD if the leadership do not survey the political landscape and learn. As I have said before banning the AfD isn’t the answer, their ideas won’t go away if the party does. Countering their arguments is the answer. Good read with my Sunday morning coffee Katja.
As an aside I’ve been nibbling away at The German Empire 1871-1918, Roger Chickering, Cambridge University Press 2025 for a couple of months. The glory days of the SPD perhaps (Katja can confirm or dismiss). The SPD are big political beasts in this era however whats really remarkable is the vibrance of the political landscape and the widespread, committed participation of the electorate. (FYI Katja’s Blood and Iron, way more accessible.)
A sobering analysis. Of course, centre-left parties have been in trouble everywhere (Australia and Canada are recent exceptions). Examples would include the French Socialist Party which has almost disappeared, the once hegemonic SPD in Sweden and the Austrian party which governed in a grand coalition for so long. I think that the German SPD embodied the Austrian slogan 'As much market as possible, as much state as necessary.' In comparing with the UK, one has to take account of the different electoral systems there and in the BRD. Scotland is an interesting case because it also has a mixed member system.
When I look at the chart from the German election poll, it looks like the “left” has split rather than shrunk. When you add the SPD, Grüne, and Linke together, the total is 36%, substantially more than either the CDU/CSU or AfD. Maybe I’m seeing it this way partly because I’m American and used to a two-party system. But it looks more like confusion or disorganization in the face of societal change, rather than a real shift to the right.
A really interesting piece on how political parties really stopped shaping the landscape around them .Do you think there's a chance the SDP might fracture and other new political groups/parties are formed ?
Very interesting and good article, the similarities between our countries yet again , I did think that the AfD were an election in front of the reform party here , I.e actually to gain real power quicker than reform , now I’m not so sure , this alleged deal with the French “ one in , one out “ is laughable , probably would be lost in the forest of the judicial system, there are similarities probably more SPD and the Tories When you think of the demise of the 2 above parties , those votes have to go somewhere, it’s a lot easier to be in opposition than govern , let’s not kid ourselves there . Without me googling , I have Willy Brandt , Gerhard Schröder and Olaf Scholz as the only current chancellors since the establishment of the old west Germany in 49 , if that’s correct that isn’t a ringing endorsement of the SPD , I believe also there is so much apathy ,mistrust in all our politicians, that there is one hell if a fight on to pull that back , I’m not sure that can be achieved
Thank you Katja for this comparative analysis. It’s quite shocking to realise that a similar political shake up can be observed in our two countries which tend to assume that they are very different from one another!
Quite an alarming read Katja. I recall a commentator saying of the left wing of UK Labour that adherents focused upon the purity of the message rather than the acquisition or retention of power. I wonder if that has afflicted the SPD? Populists such as Reform UK and the AfD have an easy time, they can just say whatever pleases, rarely having to deliver. The constituents of Clacton have discovered that their Reform MP is not remotely interested in the dull life of a constituency MP. On countless councils throughout England the voters have discovered that a great many Reform UK councillors are simply not up to the job. It looks bleak for the SPD if the leadership do not survey the political landscape and learn. As I have said before banning the AfD isn’t the answer, their ideas won’t go away if the party does. Countering their arguments is the answer. Good read with my Sunday morning coffee Katja.
As an aside I’ve been nibbling away at The German Empire 1871-1918, Roger Chickering, Cambridge University Press 2025 for a couple of months. The glory days of the SPD perhaps (Katja can confirm or dismiss). The SPD are big political beasts in this era however whats really remarkable is the vibrance of the political landscape and the widespread, committed participation of the electorate. (FYI Katja’s Blood and Iron, way more accessible.)
A sobering analysis. Of course, centre-left parties have been in trouble everywhere (Australia and Canada are recent exceptions). Examples would include the French Socialist Party which has almost disappeared, the once hegemonic SPD in Sweden and the Austrian party which governed in a grand coalition for so long. I think that the German SPD embodied the Austrian slogan 'As much market as possible, as much state as necessary.' In comparing with the UK, one has to take account of the different electoral systems there and in the BRD. Scotland is an interesting case because it also has a mixed member system.
When I look at the chart from the German election poll, it looks like the “left” has split rather than shrunk. When you add the SPD, Grüne, and Linke together, the total is 36%, substantially more than either the CDU/CSU or AfD. Maybe I’m seeing it this way partly because I’m American and used to a two-party system. But it looks more like confusion or disorganization in the face of societal change, rather than a real shift to the right.
A really interesting piece on how political parties really stopped shaping the landscape around them .Do you think there's a chance the SDP might fracture and other new political groups/parties are formed ?
It already has, the Greens or rather die Grünen -to a large extend - are what used to be the more affluent educated part of the SPD voters
Sad what’s become of the party of Schmidt, Brandt, et al. Leadership is sorely needed.
Socialism has completely outlived its rationale for existence……..did so in UK when all the ‘equality’ legislation was passed in the 1960s.
It then struggled with its identity for 20-30yrs and had to find ways of dividing society…….
…….as of today socialism is working towards communism - they are working towards stealing our money and bringing us under their total control.
And for the Sozi nerds the man in the picture died after duel in a park, those were the days
Very interesting and good article, the similarities between our countries yet again , I did think that the AfD were an election in front of the reform party here , I.e actually to gain real power quicker than reform , now I’m not so sure , this alleged deal with the French “ one in , one out “ is laughable , probably would be lost in the forest of the judicial system, there are similarities probably more SPD and the Tories When you think of the demise of the 2 above parties , those votes have to go somewhere, it’s a lot easier to be in opposition than govern , let’s not kid ourselves there . Without me googling , I have Willy Brandt , Gerhard Schröder and Olaf Scholz as the only current chancellors since the establishment of the old west Germany in 49 , if that’s correct that isn’t a ringing endorsement of the SPD , I believe also there is so much apathy ,mistrust in all our politicians, that there is one hell if a fight on to pull that back , I’m not sure that can be achieved
Not sure what you mean by ‘current chancellors,’ Dave, but Helmut Schmidt was an SPD Chancellor in the late 70s.
I knew I should have googled it 🤦🏻♂️and what a glaring miss that was , he was always smoking in his interviews too , thanks Peter 👍
Thank you Katja for this comparative analysis. It’s quite shocking to realise that a similar political shake up can be observed in our two countries which tend to assume that they are very different from one another!