Leader of Germany’s Social Democrats quits after vote fiasco

The leader of Germany’ s centre- left Social Democrats, a junior member of Chancellor Angel aM er kel’ s governing coalition, has announced her resignation following days of speculation over the fallout from the party’ s debacle in the European Parliament election.

Andrea N ah less aid she wanted“clarity” after questions were raised about her ability to lead the party.

“The necessary support for me to carry out my duties isn’t there anymore,” she said yesterday.

Ms Nahles said she will be stepping down from her post as chair woman of the Social Democrats and leader of its parliamentary faction in the coming days, to ensure that her successors are found “in an orderly fashion”.

The Social Democrats fell to third place behind Mrs Merkel’s centre -right Union bloc and the Greens in the May 26 European Parliament election.

Ms Nahles took over as party leader in February 2018, as the Social Democrats reluctantly extended their“grand coalition” with Mrs Merkel’s conservatives following a poor showing in the previous year’s German election.

While the Social Democrats have managed to push through their agenda of improving social welfare and working conditions for millions of Germans, voters haven’ t rewarded the party for it in the polls.

Instead, many have turned to the environmentalist Greens, the far-right anti-migrant Alternative for Germany, the socialist Left party or Mrs Merkel’s increasingly centrist Union bloc.

An election loss last week in the Social Democrats’ longtime bastion, the tiny northwesterns tate of Bremen, and the prospect of further defeats in forthcoming regional votes in eastern Germany this autumn, has alarmed many in the party. The party’s Olaf Sc holz,G er many’ s finance minister and vice-chancellor, said he regretted Ms Nahles’ decision but that she deserved respect for it.

“The Social Democratic Party hasn’t just been in a difficult position since the European elections,” he said.

“That’s why it’s important we stick together and jointly take the next step.”

The Social Democrats had planned to hold a mid-term review of the coalition with Mrs M erk el’ sb lo cl at er this year, raising the prospect of an early end to the coalition.

Mrs M erk el, who handed the leadership of her Christian Democratic Union party to Annegret Kramp-karrenbauer in December, has said she wants to stay as chancellor until her fourth term ends when Germany holds its next national election in 2021.

The Christian Democrats are also reviewing their election results.

newsdeskts@scotsman.com