The criticism was clear: The Brandenburg state chairman of the Greens, Julia Schmidt, and the chairman of the CDU parliamentary group, Jan Redmann, have commented on the role of the SPD in the coalition and on Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) in recent weeks. The tone of voice and the lack of trust were criticized. Now the SPD parliamentary group leader Erik Stohn answers.
Erik Stohn (37) has been the head of the SPD parliamentary group in the Brandenburg state parliament since 2019. The lawyer was previously Secretary General of the state party.
What do you like about Julia Schmidt?
Your persistence. She is a young woman who is persistent with her issues and who stays with them. However, some discussions with her never end. A quote from her reads: “No, we are not finished yet, because you do not agree with me yet.” But something like that does not achieve the goal: If you are in different parties, you often have different opinions, and in the end you have to agree Negotiating a compromise.
Having to give up your own positions is part of it. I see a strength in the addition of our perspectives from which Brandenburg can benefit. That was the spirit of the coalition negotiations, that was the basis. If we find back there, this coalition has a future and the country has more of it.
Ms. Schmidt criticizes the SPD for not being able to work in a team.
I can not comprehend that. Since the start of the coalition, we have introduced extensive discussion formats, much more than at the time of the coalition with the left. Back then we had the coalition committee every three or four months. Today there are regular rounds that are in fact a small coalition committee. Ms. Schmidt also takes part in this.
This is also about the conflict issues, and of course the tone is a bit rougher there. With three coalition partners, we sometimes need a little longer to vote – if the SPD and CDU are in agreement, that is not always the case with the Greens. But our perception is: it works.
CDU boss Jan Redmann has also criticized the SPD …
I do not understand that, because we can actually come to an agreement with the Union. Of course there is also a tough struggle there, for example with regard to the minimum wage – but basically everyone knows how things are going.
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One of Ms. Schmidt’s allegations was that internals were being divulged and that confidentiality was no longer possible.
That’s nonsense. I believe that it is better to talk to one another than about one another, because that is exactly what leads to a tightening of the climate in the coalition. Incidentally, this also applies to the content: It is better to talk to each other than to think publicly about the insolvency of BER, or to request new reports without having to inspect existing reports.
We have to say to the Greens again and again: “Dear people, you are no longer in the opposition, you are now in the government, you are responsible for the country and your actions are measured in public.” Because everything from a ruling party What is said about the airport is relevant for investors and can lead to upheavals in this major project.
The coalition partners speak of an inventory of the coalition agreement – what would the social democratic silverware be that should not go under?
In our election campaign, we put a focus on education. This includes the exemption from fees in the daycare center and improvements in the childcare key. That is of great value to us and those were key election promises. But to be honest, I do not believe in an inventory of the coalition agreement. It is a common target agreement.
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Incidentally, we put all projects agreed at the time under financial reserve and assume that we will have to stretch one or the other project a little. But we do not want to deviate from the goals that we have set ourselves.
Inventory means that you look what is open, what is being done and when. Why don’t you think so?
We are busy working through the coalition agreement on a daily basis. That happens in the discussion in the political groups. At the moment I don’t see any need for an inventory. Of course, our partners can make suggestions as to what they want to do without in the future. We know what we are going to value.
You have emphasized that the SPD cares about education. There are few ministries where there is as much public criticism as there is at the SPD-led Ministry of Education.
Even after times of crisis, education is the topic that most people deal with. Of course, alongside the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education is the house most challenged in this pandemic. We will still clearly feel what did not work in distance teaching. That is why our premise is now to enable as much face-to-face teaching as possible.
We are approaching the second half of the legislative period. What is most important for the SPD after Corona?
It doesn’t change the fact that our goal is “Ein Brandenburg”. We want to hold the region together and promote positive development in all parts of the country. We have the fat belt that is getting fatter. Everything that can be achieved in an hourly cycle is growing. This is associated with rising land prices and the need for more social infrastructure. At the same time, the need for mobility is increasing, for example through on-call buses in rural areas. Keeping that in balance remains the most important task of social democracy.
Is the SPD still the “Brandenburg Party”?
We are the party with the largest number of members, we provide the prime minister and we are firmly anchored in the municipalities. That gives us a tailwind from all over the country. And even if Ms. Schmidt might see it differently: Sure, we are the “Brandenburg Party”.
