Dispute over Ukraine support intensifies in Merz's coalition party after AfD victory
In the Social Democratic Party of Germany, which is part of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition together with the CDU/CSU, a dispute over further support for Ukraine and policy towards Russia has intensified in the wake of the AfD's victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections. Some Social Democrats are calling for a stronger diplomatic approach and a review of the balance between defense and social spending.
This is reported by WELT. According to the publication, the issue of Germany's Ukraine and Russia policy has been the subject of intense debate within the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag following the AfD's success in the state elections.
For now, advocates of a change of course remain a minority. One member of the parliamentary group estimated the balance of opinion at around 90 to 10: about 90% of SPD deputies are in favour of maintaining the current policy of supporting Ukraine.
At the same time, the camp advocating for more active diplomacy has begun to gain additional support. One of its most prominent representatives is Bundestag deputy and SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner, who has long been calling on Berlin for new diplomatic initiatives and criticizes what he sees as an overly rapid increase in defense spending.
After the election, Stegner said the SPD had made a mistake by effectively leaving the topic of peace policy to populist parties. He distanced himself from the AfD, accusing it of using Russian narratives and of support for Vladimir Putin.
Within SPD, election outcome linked to Ukraine policy
Stegner's position received support from Isabel Cademartori, co-chair of the SPD in Baden-Württemberg and a Bundestag deputy. She said the election results reflected critical attitudes among some citizens toward Germany's foreign policy, including its support for Ukraine and relations with Russia.
In her view, democratic parties should actively put forward their own initiatives for a peaceful settlement rather than presenting the current policy as having no alternative. She also called for a review of the scale of defense spending relative to social spending.
Stegner publicly endorsed this stance.
Adis Ahmetovic, the foreign policy spokesperson of the SPD parliamentary group, largely shares these criticisms. Like Stegner, he demands a recalibration of its military and diplomatic support as well as international sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.
In response, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has signaled his backing to keep Western pressure on Russia while ruling out Scholz held top-level talks with Russia at any level.
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