SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf admitted mistakes in “tough but fair”. On Monday evening, the group discussed the election results of the Social Democrats in the last state and regional elections.
Klüssendorf explained that his party had recently “not really provided any relief” for its clientele, “the working middle class”. Moderator Louis Klamroth then wanted to know who the “working center” was for the SPD. “First of all, all employees who are employed, who have a lot to shoulder with their average income and who have honestly shouldered the majority of the burden from the crises in recent years,” explained the Secretary General.
Klamroth: “You’ve completely lost it”
Klamroth then showed a graphic that shows, for example Rhineland-Palatinate 71 percent of people say that the SPD is “no longer clearly on the side of the workers” today. The moderator added: “You’ve completely lost it.”
The SPD politician reacted immediately: “That’s exactly what I just said. We tell it, but in practical politics, what really concerns living conditions, it doesn’t matter because we haven’t taken the measures.” Klüssendorf then listed the failures of the Social Democrats, but also of the other parties: increased rents, food costs and social security contributions.
“The federal government does something, then everything breaks down”
After the monologue, the moderator gave the floor to entrepreneur and SPD member Katharina Welsh-Schied. “You are also a member of the SPD. Are you convinced by what the Secretary General is saying,” Klamroth wanted to know. She initially responded to the Secretary General in monosyllables and said “No”. But then she found clear words: “Well, I have to say quite honestly, you have to think about it: the federal parties make the policies that are then reflected in the Local elections and state elections completely suppressed. You just have to say that because the grassroots people on the ground are working their butts off. Only then will the federal government do something and then everything will fall apart. (…) If you hire someone, you will become poor. It’s just not possible with all these taxes.” It’s not just taxes that have to come down. Health insurance too. “Nobody can pay that anymore,” said the entrepreneur.





