Divisions over Ukraine growing within SPD — Die Welt

The Alternative for Germany’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt has sparked debate within the Social Democratic Party of Germany over its course on Ukraine and Russia.

This is reported by Die Welt.

According to the outlet, on September 7 the issue was hotly debated at a meeting of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag. The balance of forces remains uneven: by one faction member’s estimate, around 90% of deputies support maintaining the existing course on Ukraine. Nevertheless, the ranks of those holding the opposite view are growing.

Ralf Stegner — a politician dealing with foreign policy matters who has long called for stepped-up diplomatic efforts and criticized the pace of arms deliveries — is finding increasing support within the faction.

“If we spend billions on armaments while simultaneously cutting social spending, this becomes an energy drink for right-wing populists and a poisonous cocktail for democratic parties,” Stegner said.

According to him, the SPD made a mistake by ceding the topic of peace policy to the populists. At the same time, Stegner distanced himself from the AfD, noting that the party uses “false narratives” and “stands firmly on Putin’s side.”

The SPD is part of the ruling coalition as the junior partner of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc. The AfD leader, for his part, explained his party’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt by saying that “Germans do not want to be dragged into the war in Ukraine.” The right-wing party’s popularity among voters continues to grow.