Joe Weingarten and Johannes Arlt became the first elected representatives from the Social Democrats (SPD) to publicly advocate for Pistorius to replace an increasingly unpopular Scholz when Germans go to the polls this winter.
– It is my clear opinion that we should enter the election campaign with Boris Pistorius, Weingarten told the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung on Sunday.
– Boris Pistorius will be an excellent SDP candidate. In my opinion, he is ideally suited to lead our party into the election campaign, Arlt told the Tagesspiegel newspaper soon after.
Arlt added that Pistorius, who is currently defense minister, has experience from a high-ranking position in the government and that he can explain policy to people clearly.
Seeking re-election
Scholz said in July that he planned to run for re-election. It was a few months before his coalition government collapsed last week, paving the way for new elections as early as February, instead of September.
The Prime Minister has stood by his plans for re-election.
– The SPD and I are ready to enter this debate, with the aim of winning, by the way, he said before flying to the G20 summit in Brazil.
The party leadership and Pistorius himself have several times assured Scholz of their support.
– Olaf Scholz is prime minister. And everyone who has responsibility in the SPD has made it clear to him in recent days that we stand behind him, said SPD leader Lars Klingbeil on Saturday.
Support from Pistorius
Pistorius confirmed that he too supports Scholz in a statement on Sunday.
– We have a truly outstanding prime minister who, in one of the most difficult periods in the history of the republic, took the reins of a demanding coalition government, he told the national broadcaster ARD.
Both Scholz and the SPD are struggling heavily in the opinion polls. Several voices both at the grassroots and at national level have been in favor of replacing Scholz as prime ministerial candidate, and rather putting in Pistorius, who is more popular.
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