Press
The top ranks of the SPD meet in Norderney. Scholz talks about his trip to China – and about “a plant that needs to be watered a lot”.
Norderney – Shortly before the ferry docks, Rolf Mützenich climbs onto the upper deck, takes a deep breath and looks critically over the railing. He has never experienced such a security presence before a conference of his party. “This is probably the safest crossing that Norderney has ever seen.” Six water protection boats follow behind the “Frisia IX”. Early in the morning, divers checked the seabed for explosives, and uniformed personnel were sitting on the lower deck of the ship.
The SPD meets on Thursday and Friday on the East Frisian island of Norderney – and with it the party's top ranks. In addition to parliamentary group leader Mützenich, Bundestag President Bärbel Bas is on the ferry, as well as the party leader Saskia Esken. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has agreed and is traveling by helicopter. The ministers Boris Pistorius, Hubertus Heil and Karl Lauterbach accepted the invitation of their state groups in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. Co-chair Lars Klingbeil makes it to the conference in the north, as does the top candidate for the European elections, Katarina Barley.
Mützenich defends controversial statements about the war in Ukraine
In the conference room, things get straight to the point at the beginning. A lot has built up. A few weeks ago, Mützenich asked the Bundestag: “Isn't it time that we not only talk about how to fight a war, but also think about how we can freeze a war and end it later?” Since then, it has been hailing Criticism, including from within your own party.
On Norderney, Mützenich advises more community spirit on Thursday. There is every reason for this. “When we arrived here, people approached me and said: Say thank you to the Chancellor,” Mützenich says at the lectern. “Say thank you to the Chancellor for his prudence, for his support of Ukraine – but also for looking for partners who do not share our view of the war, but who may ultimately contribute to it War in Ukraine to end.”
The Chancellor had flown to Beijing for the second time in the previous days, also to talk about the Russian attack on Ukraine. In the end, the Chancellor did not bring any really tangible results. Scholz wanted Xi Jinping to convince him of a peace conference, but China's head of state did not accommodate him.
Scholz declares meeting with Xi Jinping a success
At Norderney, Scholz still declared the meeting with Xi on Friday a success. In view of the “turning point” it was “a very important boost” that the question of a peace perspective for Ukraine at least played a role in the talks. It is progress “that we have jointly committed to such efforts and have seen peace meetings in Switzerland as a necessary thing,” says Scholz. “This is something that is essential in this arduous process.”
The federal government is also trying to cultivate discussion formats that go beyond the war in Ukraine. “There have been meetings in Copenhagen, in Jeddah, in Davos, where not only the many supporters of Ukraine have gathered, but also others who have decided a little less clearly how they think things should proceed,” says Scholz, “from the Arab countries, from South Africa, Brazil and also China.” This is “still a plant that needs to be watered a lot”.
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