The political end of SPD leader Martin Schulz

SPD leader Martin Schulz QUITS in blow to Angela Merkel coalition plot

GERMAN Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz has resigned with immediate effect and has called an extraordinary party congress for April 22 in a blow to Angela Merkel's grand coalition plot. Sources said Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz would take over as acting leader of a deeply divided party.

By Simon Osborne

PUBLISHED: 17:43, Tue, Feb 13, 2018 | UPDATED: 22:02, Tue, Feb 13, 2018

 

62-year-old Mr Schulz was part of Angela Merkel’s recently formed coalition government despite running against her in last year's elections and speaking out against another tie-up with her Christian Democrats.
But the Europhile announced his shock resignation in a statement at the party headquarters in Berlin this evening after his popularity plummeted.
Mr Schulz stood down as President of the European Parliamant to challenge Mrs Merkel in last year's national elections.

 

 

GETTY

Martin Schulz is standing down with immediate effect

 

GETTY

Martin Schulz announces his resignation to party officials

 

He told party officials Andrea Nahles had been unanimously backed to succeed him by the SPD leadership and that members would vote on their choice on April 22. 
Ms Nahles, a plain-speaking 47-year-old former labour minister with a left-wing slant and strong oratory skills, is frontrunner and would become the first female leader in the party's 154-year history.
But expectations that she would take over with immediate effect on a caretaker basis until a party conference triggered resistance as it breaches party procedure.
Mr Schulz's resignation comes after a week of turmoil within the SPD.
He leaves a party in a state of deep division over the coalition deal and the division of ministerial posts and also facing a disastrous slump in opinion polls.
SPD chiefs have desperately tried to convince the party’s 464,000 members to back the deal in a ballot on which Mrs Merkel's fourth term hangs.

 

 

GETTY

Andrea Nahles is the SPD leadership's choice to replace Martin Schulz

 

But many SPD members have grave misgivings about sharing power with Mrs Merkel again and if members reject the coalition deal in a March 4 ballot a new election looks the most likely option.
Mr Schulz hinted last week he would quit to allow the party to regroup.
The change of leadership comes as Mrs Merkel becomes increasingly anxious to get a government in place and end more than four months of political limbo which has hampered decision-making in Germany, Europe's largest economy.
The lack of leadership has caused concern among partners in the European Union which looks to Berlin for leadership in facing challenges from eurozone reform to Brexit.
Mr Schulz, who originally strongly opposed another tie-up with the conservatives only to become one of its leading advocates, has lost political credibility but hopes his decision to step aside will now encourage SPD members to back the coalition deal.

 

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