DThe SPD repositioned itself in terms of foreign policy at its party conference. In the motion passed by delegates on Saturday entitled “Social Democratic Responses to a World in Transition,” the party is redefining, among other things, its relationship with Russia. She also advocates for Germany to play a leading role in the world. At the party conference, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for Ukraine to continue to be supported in the fight against Russia for years to come, if necessary.
Scholz wants to continue supporting Ukraine
Since the Russian attack in February 2022, Germany has provided Ukraine with billions in financial aid and extensive arms deliveries. Given the difficult budget situation, there are fears that the federal government could scale back its aid.
“This war is probably not over any time soon,” said Scholz. It is therefore important “that we are able to continue to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle for a long time (…). This applies not only to this year, next year, but possibly also to the year after that.
Germany must even be prepared to have to do even more “when others weaken,” said the Chancellor, apparently alluding to the unclear political situation in the USA before next year’s presidential elections. Therefore, there must be decisions on the German side “so that we are able to do this”.
In another resolution on Saturday, the SPD called for the debt brake to be suspended next year as well. She wants to justify the necessary emergency with the consequences of the Ukraine war.
Klingbeil admits the SPD’s mistakes
In its key motion on foreign policy, the SPD rejects normalizing relations with Moscow “as long as Russia pursues its imperialist goal of conquering and suppressing sovereign states.” The 2021 election manifesto said: “Peace in Europe cannot be against Russia, but only with Russia.” Now this sentence is turned into the opposite in the party congress resolution: “As long as nothing fundamentally changes in Russia, Europe’s security from Russia will be organized Need to become.
In the debate on Saturday, leading SPD representatives were self-critical of previous Russia policy. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil said it was “a mistake not to distance ourselves from Putin’s system earlier.” Party leader Rolf Mützenich admitted that he had “completely underestimated” Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s imperial thinking.
At the same time, Mützenich opposed attempts to discredit the SPD’s traditional détente policy. It was a “shame” to put them “in line with the war of aggression” against Ukraine, he said. And he reiterated his call to use diplomatic opportunities to end conflicts.
A sovereign Europe is the most important political response to the changing times, according to the party conference resolution. In addition to expanding the internal market and strengthening social Europe, it is also important “that the European Union overcomes the inefficient and ineffective fragmentation in its defense policy and its defense industries.” With regard to Eastern European policy, it is important to “create the conditions for the admission of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia as quickly as possible”.
States around the world expected “Germany to show more initiative and take a leadership role at the international level,” the resolution emphasizes. With regard to China, the SPD demanded “a European resilience strategy that reduces risks.” Given the close ties between the German and European economies and China, decoupling is “not the right answer”.
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