Self-congratulating gathering takes place

In a show of unity, Steffen Krach was officially nominated as the SPD's Spitzenkandidat for the upcoming Berlin elections. The announcement was made on Monday, marking the start of the party's campaign titled "Berlin makes Krach."

Krach, who has no involvement in the internal power struggles of the Berlin SPD, received support from all corners of the political spectrum. The left-wing, right-wing, and the entire Senate endorsed his nomination during his official presentation. Notable attendees included Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel, state chairpersons of the SPD, as well as Raed Saleh and Economy Senator Franziska Giffey, who spoke in support of Krach's nomination.

In his speech, Krach praised the unity of the Berlin SPD and criticized the work of the CDU's Senate chief, Kai Wegner, calling it sluggish, lacking ambition, and half-hearted. He also called for more federal support for the fee-free education policy, a point of contention within the party. Krach avoided taking a stance on the debate over free school lunches, a pet project of Raed Saleh, to avoid alienating parts of the SPD.

The Berlin SPD has been in government in Berlin, but polls show the party trailing at 14 percent. Despite this, the party executive decided last week that Krach would retake the Red City Hall for the SPD. The mood at Krach's presentation was positive, with attendees applauding his "fighting spirit."

The debate on free school lunches is a significant internal dispute within the SPD. Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel, state chairpersons of the SPD, question the free school lunches policy. However, they were present at Krach's official presentation, showing their support for the nominee.

The mood among the attendees at Krach's official presentation was excellent. Steffen Krach, who has worked with Raed Saleh in the past when Krach was State Secretary in Berlin, expressed his determination to lead the SPD to victory in the upcoming elections.

The 2023 rerun of the Bundestag election and the 2024 federal election were held in 2023 and earlier this year, respectively. The Berlin SPD has declared that the dry spell without a campaign is over, and the next election for the House of Representatives is still more than a year away. The party is hopeful that Krach's nomination will boost their chances in the upcoming elections and bring about a change in the governance of Berlin.