Juan Carlos Barrena
Berlin
Monday, October 7, 2024, 17:18
The general secretary of the ruling German Social Democratic Party (SPD), Kevin Kühnert, unexpectedly announced this Monday his resignation for health reasons, one year before the legislative elections in Germany and when his party is going through a serious popularity crisis that has caused it to fall. their voting prospects to historic lows. «I need the energy I need to carry out my job and prepare for the electoral campaign for a foreseeable period of time to recover my health. For that reason I draw these consequences,” says Kühnert in a statement sent to the media.
The young 35-year-old politician, who previously presided over the Jusos, the socialist youth, does not give details about his illness and acknowledges that announcing his resignation has cost him a great effort, but that he had to assume his responsibility before himself and the party itself. . “An electoral victory requires the full commitment of the entire SPD,” he points out to explain his withdrawal and adds that in the coming months “enormous efforts will have to be made to compensate for a deficit that is reflected both in the low rates of voting intention and in “the lack of self-confidence.”
Kühnert also highlights having announced his decision a few days ago to the two presidents of the SPD, Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, as well as his decision to renounce a new candidacy as a Bundestag deputy. “These decisions cost me a lot of effort and hurt me because I put my whole soul into my political work,” Kühnert writes. However, he assures that it was the right thing to do, since “by now taking full care of my health, I believe I am in better conditions to fulfill my double responsibility.”
In a brief press conference called shortly after the announcement of the resignation of their general secretary, Esken and Klingbeil announced that the senior social democratic unions will meet tonight to look for candidates to succeed Kühnert. “We will very quickly clarify the succession,” said the two co-chairs of the party of the federal chancellor, Olaf Scholz. Both claimed to “be prepared” to look for a new organizer for their formation, since Kühnert revealed to them a few days ago his intention to resign.
“Shocked”
The two SPD presidents acknowledged being “shocked” by Kühnert’s resignation and expressed their “total respect” for that decision. “We want to thank him with all our hearts,” said Esken, who stressed that during his mandate he was an “important pillar” for the party. A personal friend of the resigner, Klingbeil said he knew how difficult it had been for him to make the decision to resign, stressed that politics is not everything in life and noted that “health takes priority.”
After thanking and encouraging his party colleagues, Kühnert veiled in his message against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) by stating that “while some other parties and groups cater to the lowest instincts, you work tirelessly to bring out the “better of yourselves and of your fellow men.” Kühnert, who is now officially on sick leave, has no intention of making further statements about his resignation to the media, according to several digital outlets that have tried to contact him.
Kevin Kühnert was elected general secretary of the German Social Democratic Party in 2021, the year in which he also won a seat in the Bundestag for the Berlin district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg by direct mandate. As a leader of the socialist youth, he became extremely popular by leading a campaign against a new grand coalition between conservatives and the SPD, specifically the last one under the mandate of then federal chancellor Angela Merkel.
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