Before state election: Klingbeil campaigns in Saxony-Anhalt

Before Election in Saxony-Anhalt: Klingbeil Navigating Difficult Territory

In Saxony-Anhalt, the SPD is in a tough spot ahead of the state election. The vote also has much at stake for party leader Klingbeil. On the campaign trail locally, he is feeling the discontent firsthand.

It was planned as a picture-perfect event for Lars Klingbeil: the Finance Minister brings money to Saxony-Anhalt for a project that has long been fighting for funding — the Beesen waterworks in Halle. It is set to receive 53 million euros in funding to ensure the region's drinking water supply in the event of a drought, among other purposes.

The Finance Ministry calls it the "launch of the Minister's investment tour." The funding notice is received by Saxony-Anhalt's Environment Minister, Armin Willingmann — who is also the SPD's lead candidate for the state elections.

No Tailwind from Berlin

Willingmann, with grey hair and a grey beard, a long-serving professor, made no secret in recent weeks that he has so far received no tailwind for his campaign from the federal SPD or from decisions made in Berlin. With his slogan "Experience over experiments," he is trying to win over voters.

At the event with Klingbeil in front of the waterworks in Halle, Willingmann speaks of the "grumbling among the population, the appeal of talking down the country" — and so it is important, he says, that projects like the waterworks actually "get done" — gratefully accepting the funding notice.

Klingbeil and lead candidate Willingmann: "Grumbling among the population"

"We also argued too often"

Other campaigners in Saxony-Anhalt also speak of the "grumbling." More than one decision from Berlin haunts them, such as the end of the penalty-free retirement after 45 years of contributions.

Klingbeil is aware of the general discontent on the ground. "The high share of AfD voters certainly has something to do with dissatisfaction with the federal government — I won't deny it," he tells the ARD capital studio. "We made important decisions, but we also argued too often, we also caused resentment, and that is reflected in the polls."

Anxiety Over Making It Into the State Parliament

The SPD was once a major party in Saxony-Anhalt, winning more than 35 percent of the vote in 1998. Now, according to the Saxony-Anhalt trend survey by infratest dimap, the party stands at seven percent. The Social Democrats are on tenterhooks over whether they will even make it into the state parliament.

Julius Neumann is running for the SPD in Halle. Born in 1998, he has never known such high poll numbers for his party. He says he wishes for more tailwind on issues people are worried about, such as pensions and health insurance.

"A city like Halle must be funded in a way that means it doesn't have to close any social facilities," he demands. People should not feel like the potholes just keep multiplying year after year.

Yet the large sums from the special fund are only trickling down to the local level slowly. Klingbeil emphasizes that more than ten percent — around 50 billion euros — of the special fund has been disbursed. But people aren't feeling it yet, campaigners say. That is why, on the day Klingbeil is travelling to four events in Saxony-Anhalt, projects are being put on display and investments are being talked up.

Much Discontent with the Leadership Duo's Dual Role

For the SPD, a great deal is at stake. If the party fails to enter the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt, not only is a stable government in jeopardy. It could also trigger a chain reaction for the federal SPD in Berlin. In the end, it could even cost Klingbeil his job as party chairman — a scenario being pushed by parts of the party's grassroots.

For days, local party branches from across Germany have been writing letters stating that they no longer want Bärbel Bas and Lars Klingbeil to hold the dual roles of minister and SPD party chairman. Talk of a fresh start is circulating, with calls for a special party conference in autumn.

"I know there is unrest within the SPD, and I find that entirely understandable given twelve percent in the polls," Klingbeil told the ARD capital studio. "This election in Saxony-Anhalt is not about individual figures at the federal level. It is about whether we are capable of winning a majority in the democratic centre, and I believe this is a very crucial phase for our country as well."

Waiting for the results

For now, he is riding out the discontent at the SPD grassroots and waiting for the results of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt. When the day after, the SPD leadership has to explain a poor result, the question will still remain: Who will be the kingslayer and push Klingbeil and Bas from the top? And what programmatic realignment will then come for the SPD to move the party forward again?

A question that Klingbeil does not have to contend with at his third appearance in Saxony-Anhalt — at "Kohl und Köpfe", a citizens' dialogue hosted by SPD candidate Katharina Kohl in the Bitterfeld constituency. This time he is here as SPD party chairman Klingbeil. Citizens are voicing frustration about persistent excessive bureaucracy and planned cuts to housing benefit. Klingbeil also has to defend the end of the penalty-free retirement after 45 years of contributions during the discussion.

A proposal put forward by the pension commission is his explanation. Many compromises that must be made with the coalition partner, the CDU/CSU, is another. At the end of the day, the SPD campaigners are left hoping that the "grumbling" among the population does not grow too loud.