Scholz under pressure: Who will be the new SPD candidate for chancellor?

Scholz under pressure: Who will be the new SPD candidate for chancellor?

A political earthquake in Germany! Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces a crucial question of trust, which will be asked in the Bundestag on December 16th. If Parliament votes to vote no confidence in him, the electorate will flock to the polls on February 23rd. But the question that concerns everyone: Will Scholz actually run as the SPD's candidate for chancellor or could he be overtaken by another, surprising candidate?

The unrest in the ranks of the SPD is noticeable! Scholz, who was considered a safe candidate for chancellor just a few months ago, is suddenly facing growing skepticism. "Yes, there is grumbling. Of course there are also these voices," confirmed SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich on ZDF. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who has railed against the traffic light government in the past, is enjoying increasing popularity among comrades. According to a current Forsa survey, Pistorius, with 39 percent, is clearly ahead of Friedrich Merz (25 percent) and Scholz, who only received 16 percent of the vote.

Support for Scholz is crumbling

However, support for Scholz is not completely lost. SPD co-chair Lars Klingbeil and Secretary General Matthias Miersch demonstratively stand behind the Chancellor and emphasize that the dispute between Scholz and Merz will be decisive. Nevertheless, a survey by the YouGov institute shows that 44 percent of respondents believe Merz has the best chance of leading the next federal government, while only 6 percent see Scholz as the favorite. An alarming signal for the SPD!

Voters seem undecided: 29 percent do not yet want to decide how the election could turn out. AfD leader Alice Weidel is seen as a possible chancellor by 13 percent. The tension is rising and time is running out! The 2025 federal election could be one of the most decisive elections in recent years.