German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will seek a second term in the upcoming snap elections, with his party, the center-left SPD, confirming him as their lead candidate. SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil stated, “We want to go into the next election campaign with Olaf Scholz.”
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Germany’s most popular politician in recent polls, withdrew from the race, urging the party to end its internal squabbles. Pistorius praised Scholz as a strong leader, highlighting his steady hand during one of Germany’s most challenging crises in decades. He emphasized that sidelining a sitting chancellor would send a damaging signal domestically and internationally. SPD co-chair Saskia Esken applauded Pistorius’ decision, calling it a “huge show of solidarity.”
Scholz and the SPD face an uphill battle, trailing significantly in polls behind the CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, and even the far-right AfD. Scholz remains optimistic, recalling how his party’s fortunes turned around before the 2021 election. Critics from rival parties were quick to attack his candidacy. CDU parliamentary leader Thorsten Frei called Scholz “catastrophically damaged” by internal SPD divisions, while CSU’s Alexander Dobrindt claimed the decision lacked full party support.
Despite these challenges, Scholz is determined to push forward, rallying his party for what promises to be a tough election fight.
