Political Animal : Moscow dominates the election campaign

It begins the year of the European elections, and the SPD is trying to be campaigning against himself. How to do this? By communicating, for example, on a common position on Russia policy.

This is all the more necessary, than dealing with the Moscow leadership of some of the social viewed democracy as a "generation issue". So from the 45-year-old Nils Schmid, the recently, the SPD point of view, Russia is critical of the "FAZ" entrusted to his Generation was the Perestroika period under Mikhail Gorbachev coined, not more of the Ostpolitik of the former Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt.

What Schmid in the Generation that has in the SPD to Say, both surprise as well as displeasure caused. Because Brandt is also a party icon, because he had with a patient policy of slow Maceration of the fronts success, even a world success, and not only the grandees of the SPD see it as a lens of greater power than any military threat to force someone to your knees. The Proud want to be the leading SPD foreign policy do not take, certainly not by those who had no Plan of his own, not even a little one, as it is downright bilious.

social democratic and accents in foreign policy

called for A criticism that is also aimed at the acting foreign Minister Heiko Maas from their ranks. Maas and his neokritischer Russia course will be considered to be largely attributable to the internal dispute that the SPD on a field weakness, which belong today to your Strengths: the policy of détente. Therefore, only the left wing of the SPD calls for a social-democratic accents in foreign policy.

wing across the Meuse, and is urged to put more clearly that accent: in the case of clear positions of Principle but at the same time, significantly to the dialogue with Moscow to contribute to and to ensure Europe-wide. Because the triad of peace, disarmament and global justice, shall determine the election campaign (with -).

The impulse of the Left is now a lot of echo in the Bundestag group. Words of warning addressed to the Minister of foreign Affairs. The words of the Deputy Chairman of the SPD, Ralf Stegner, especially in the daily mirror would have been can also come from Maas-predecessors: Not a single Problem in Europe and a few problems in the world could be without Russia to solve, "we must therefore intensify the contact and not the rate increase. Nothing is better, because we worsen our relations with Russia“.

Behind his Hand, the Position of the Maas, has been described some time ago as a popular-populist. Without a course correction for him, duration of the Problem. As a Minister Maas is dependent on the backing of the group of experts. The record, however, for some time a rapprochement.

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What is the disappointment of the younger social Democrats about the current relationship with Russia. As Schmid said It would continue a dialogue, "in the substance" moving to Moscow in the decisive questions. In the meantime, a piece of back is this criticism but far. For it is a prerequisite for success – knowledge, experienced campaigner – conciliatory tones between each other.