Official election results published by the Federal Returning Officer of Germany

SPD Nominates Olaf Scholz for February 23 Election, Vows to Fight Despite Lagging Polls

Jan 11, 2025, 01:44 PM

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Germany has officially nominated Chancellor Olaf Scholz as its candidate for the early federal election scheduled for February 23, 2025. At a special party congress in Berlin, Scholz was confirmed with overwhelming support from delegates. With just 43 days until the election, the SPD is trailing in polls, ranking third or fourth, and faces a challenging campaign led by top strategist Matthias Miersch to retain the chancellery. In his speech, Scholz rallied party members to vigorously fight in the weeks ahead, declaring, "Now is not the time for CDU and CSU in Germany." He emphasized policies that benefit "the ordinary people," such as affordable housing—stating that only the SPD can prevent rents from "going through the roof"—fair wages, and significant investment to renew Germany. Scholz also reflected on his tenure, admitting, "Perhaps I should have banged on the table earlier." SPD leaders, including party chairman Lars Klingbeil and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, expressed strong support for Scholz. Klingbeil assured that the party would fight to make Scholz the next chancellor, while Pistorius committed to campaigning for Scholz to remain in office, stating, "I will fight for you." Despite trailing in the polls, the SPD remains confident, recalling past elections where they overcame significant deficits. Scholz warned that the upcoming election is a critical "directional decision" for Germany, cautioning, "If on February 23 we take a wrong turn, we will wake up in a different country." The SPD is positioning itself as a bulwark against social cuts, irresponsible foreign policy, and the rise of the far-right.