SPD crisis: Andrea Nahles and the shock of practice

A On the way to Andrea Nahles in a social democratic oasis, she meets: a foreign policy hawk, a chancellor of the CDU and two entrepreneurial personalities. At the Fürth Town Hall, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Ludwig Erhard, Grete Schickedanz and Max Grundig are immortalized in oil. The mayor, Thomas Jung (SPD), leads the leader of his party beyond the portraits in the hall of the Grand Council. The Social Democrats have an absolute majority in the City Council, they have twice as many seats as the CSU. OB Jung speaks of a "social-democratic model city", in the local elections, the SPD gets more than 50%. He himself was elected by a large majority of 73%

. The contrast with the political situation in the entire Free State can hardly be more clear than in Fürth. Two and a half months before the state election threatens the crash of the traditionally weak Bavarian SPD, possibly even behind the green and the AfD. The latest survey sees the SPD at 13 percent. Nahles must tremble before Oct. 14 – it's the first state election since she led the SPD as president. Nahles sits next to Jung, who reports on his city: strong immigration, only 4.6 percent of unemployed – and this after the bankruptcies of the city. once successful businesses Quelle and Grundig. "We are the safest city in Germany," says Jung, OB for 17 years. "How did you do that?" Asks Nahles. Manageability, social control, no anonymity, "in addition, the minimum wage creates social peace," answers Jung. The former Minister of Labor, who plowed low wages, is happy to hear that.

But as there is never anything easy in the social-democratic world, Jung has some other messages for Nahles: families from Bulgaria and Romania "With eight or nine children," he says, "They are often illiterate and they cause enormous problems". With job applications, they had access to social benefits, especially family allowances. "Eastern Europe is for us the biggest problem that Syria or Iraq," says Social Democrat Jung. Nahles is familiar with the issue, has already talked about this immigration into social systems with OB Sören Link (SPD) of Duisburg, whose city also suffers.

But what to do? Freedom of movement within the EU is a matter for the SPD, but its abuses undermine the welfare state. "The minimum wage in Bulgaria is 235 euros per month," says Nahles. The local children's benefit thus attracts heavily. "We have to coordinate a common line," says Nahles, "to do something that works." A show of force, because the issue of alimony for Bulgarians and Romanians is an example of the contradiction in the party of Nahles: Your local elected officials in Fürth or Duisburg, Mannheim or Offenbach, lobby, want practical solutions.

On the other hand, their officials often overlook the dangers of the welfare state, or even its systematic erosion. The same is true for migration and integration policies, for which the SPD has developed a remarkably rigorous five-point plan, but has not yet developed a substantial position. Before the state elections in Bavaria and Hesse, there is more and more pressure to do something here

another dissatisfied with federal policy. EU sanctions against Russia displease him; Here too, Jung embodies several local and state politicians. Once a Fürth company had equipped the Russian biathlon team with ammunition, now doing a company in China. The Russian critical attitude of Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) does not understand Jung. "When I hear my colleague Maas, I'm scared and anxious.German-Russian relations are always something nice and good!"

Nahles opposes to: Maas has established official contacts with the government in Moscow only. The Foreign Minister is "pissed off" about an attack by Russian pirates, says Nahles, but approaches his host rhetorically: "We must again bring the issue of sanctions to another This is really a difficult point. "

The gap in the SPD, the proximity of many local politicians to the people and the detachment of many apparatchiks are well known. After 100 days at the helm of the SPD, perhaps the most exhausting political bureau of Germany, she is doing a "very great eulogy" of the mouth of a man like Thomas Jung so recognizable. "You have brought peace to Olaf Scholz You're fine Do not be impressed by the plaintiffs," says Fürths OB in goodbye

"Grumpy" is back in the SPD, who likes debate anyway and never makes it easy for his minds.Reason: Nahles decided to dissolve the Party's Historical Commission (HiKo) .From this eminent conference, scientists have never been heard in recent In the party is ridiculed, HiKo, the political commission or the cultural forum are about as reformist as the Albanian communists.On recent times, the SPD executive has dissolved twelve of its 54 round tables and forums. must save after his electoral debacle, Nahles thins the committee in disorder, does not want to be irritated by "blasphemy."

"One freezes, freezes, runs away"

Again, the SPD wants their proximity to the Resume the people, it's ie to do what former party leader Sigmar Gabriel had promised in 2009 when he announced that he would go where it "stinks". Nahles, linked to his predecessor in a mutual dislike, did not want to say it that way, but wants to say something of the same thing. Thus, to face the worries of everyday life rather than the self-referential debates (that the former boss of Juso Nahles had even operated for years).

During their summer trip to Bavaria, Nahles endured what was so controversial in their party recently: the power of the government. During a visit to the training center of the Federal Police in Bamberg, a young policeman complains, "We are moving from year to year, we can not plan." Nahles replies, "We're freezing, stealing , freezes. "Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) the state can not dictate anything to the private sector, which he does not practice himself.

With such projects – and Scholz's mantra of "solid government" – Nahles wants to stabilize the SPD. Even though his party managed during the week-long asylum dispute between the CDU and the CSU the role of the reasonable partner, this is not reflected in the polls. At the national level, the SPD is down 18%. The image of Nahles remains modest, while his ally, Finance Minister Scholz, has become popular. The government crisis, however, also cost SPD confidence

"You've learned great German"

Social democracy can not score points in refugee politics. That's why it's all the more important for Nahles to achieve more in terms of integration. At Siemens in Erlangen, she attends basic electrical engineering course, meeting young people from Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Iran in the laboratory automation. Naji Alzaim, of Homs, Syria, has programmed a beer crate filling machine, quite Franconian.

The 23-year-old begins his training with Siemens as an engineering badistant in September. "You have learned the great German," Nahles calls, "I hope you will get a foothold here." About 300,000 refugees were already employed, including social security. "There will be an immigration law later this year," says the SPD leader. If there is no other government crisis after the Bayern elections, in which the CSU could lose its absolute majority, hinders the process

If the grand coalition actually holds up until the regular end of the legislature, is also doubted in the SPD. In new elections before the autumn of 2021, the social democrats have to adapt. The election of another political chancellor of the CDU in the Bundestag would be difficult to pbad on in his own party. They do not want to help Chancellor Angela Merkel clarify her successor problem, according to Social Democrats. Until now, Nahles and Vice Chancellor Scholz form a trust duo. But should this political friendship break one day, as is the custom at the SPD? This is not yet predictable; Today, Olaf Scholz will likely be the next candidate for Chancery

As Nahles travels the streets of Dietfurt Tuesday afternoon in a scorching heat, the new decline in the number of unemployed is beginning to be felt. Here in the community of 6100 inhabitants, only 1.5% are unemployed, says the mayor. "Your job market is virtually empty," Nahles replies. If the SPD, but with such success and "strong governance" can win the next election is debatable.

The experience of the 2017 Bundestag elections is against. Andrea Nahles has no other job than to do her part, prepare her for the campaign and give her a superstructure. That goes to the limit of what a president can do. Thus, it would only be consistent for Nahles not to target the next candidate for Chancery.