GERMANY'S SOCIAL DEMOCRATS REJECT PARTY'S TOP-DOWN

UNCLAS BERLIN 001460 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL AF GM SUBJECT: GERMANY'S SOCIAL DEMOCRATS REJECT PARTY'S TOP-DOWN DECISIONMAKING; EMBRACE CORE VALUES AND NEW LEADERS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Germany's struggling Social Democratic Party (SPD) voted in a new leadership and recommitted itself to serving as the country's center-left people's party at its November 13-15 party convention. After having suffered its worst defeat at the polls since World War II, the newly elected leadership called for party renewal and a return to social justice values and promised to put more emphasis on ongoing internal debate. While blame was not cast directly, many of the dozens of speakers accused the party leadership of losing touch with its base and with its core values. The party's main rallying points were its resounding election of Sigmar Gabriel as party chair and in favor of a property tax. The party stopped short of revisiting major welfare reforms and of setting a date by which German troops should exit Afghanistan. End summary. Out With "Basta" Politics -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Former SPD chair Franz Muentefering and party secretary general Hubertus Heil November 13 were respectfully ushered out from leadership positions of a party at its deepest political ebb. The party had held great hopes for Muentefering, the second party chair elected within one year, but neither he nor former SPD Chancellor candidate and current caucus chief Frank-Walter Steinmeier could prevent its downward spiral ending with the disastrous results at the September 27 polls. In his farewell speech, Muentefering acknowledged the depth of the party's defeat but focused on criticizing the effects of capitalism and the Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union and Free Democratic Party coalition (CDU/CSU-FDP) rather than analyzing the party's mistakes. ¶3. (SBU) The ensuing dozens of speakers, however, vented frustration with the party leadership for neglecting its base -- its so-called "basta" (dictatorial) politics -- and the party's departure from its core social justice values. Thuringia's SPD leader Christoph Matschie told Poloff at the convention that former SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has been most closely associated with "basta" politics, as had Muentefering. Schroeder, he said, did not bring the party base along when developing the major welfare reforms called Agenda 2010. Franciska Drohsel, chair of the SPD youth organization, delivered perhaps the most biting criticism, mentioning a loss of trust in the party and appealing for the SPD to again be the party of social justice. Her group later successfully pushed through an amendment to the party program calling for a property or "wealth" tax. Although a negative tone toward military engagement in Afghanistan was expressed during the convention, the delegates rejected an attempt to amend the platform to set a date for the withdrawal of the Bundeswehr, calling instead for the groundwork to be laid during this legislative period that would allow for the troops' withdrawal. An Impressive Sigmar Gabriel -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The convention's critical mood lifted when, after 66 speakers, former SPD Environment Minister Gabriel took the stage and began his personal appeal for party renewal, unity and future action. He quickly carried the crowd. He called on the party to cease chasing after the elusive "center," but rather to focus on defining itself. Rather than seeking to change the middle, Gabriel said, "we changed ourselves." He also acknowledged that "we did things that part of the party found unacceptable." He referred specifically to changing the retirement age to 67, which many of the previous speakers had criticized. He said that the party should address its approach "from the bottom to the top" and at the latest within 12 months should present some answers. To this end, he called for conferences with community representatives and meetings with all sectors of society. He also called for yearly party conventions to debate and vote on issues. Gabriel received a six-minute standing ovation and was then voted in as Chairman with 94 percent of the some 500 delegates. ¶5. (SBU) The delegates also voted in a new General Secretary, Andrea Nahles, who represents the SPD's left wing. Nahles spoke directly after Gabriel, but could not match his appeal. She was voted in with only 69 percent of the vote. Although talented and well-connected within the party, Nahles has been a controversial figure and has tended to polarize. Also, some in the left wing may have felt that she has moved too far to the center. Elected as party vice chairs were Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit with 89.6 percent of the vote, SPD leader in North Rhine-Westphalia Hannelore Kraft with 90.2 percent, former SPD Labor Minister Olaf Scholz with 85.7 percent and SPD Health Minister in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Manuela Schwesig with 87.8 percent. Comment -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The SPD leadership prepared well for the convention, with the aim of preventing any major blood-letting. Both Gabriel and Nahles traveled extensively before the convention and spoke with various regional party assemblies allowing dissatisfaction and criticism to be widely aired. At the convention itself, more than a day was reserved for statements and intense discussion by the delegates about the state of the party. In addition, several speakers at the convention, including Muentefering, pointed out that the party had gained some 5,000 new members since the elections. While the party did not signal any major breaks with past SPD policy at the convention nor did Gabriel in his speech, it was clear that the SPD leadership will be seeking new ways to reconnect with its base and win back lost voters. It will also develop positions that reflect more of its center-left tradition for its role as opposition leader. MURPHY