German Vice Chancellor resigns

[eurocrat]

In German
and
In English

News breaking in the German Media that Employment Minister and Vice Chancellor Franz Müntefering (SPD)is to step down from his by the end of the month. Müntefering is also the leader of the SPD faction in Government.


No reason has been given as yet by Müntefering, however it is known that his wife has been seriously ill with cancer recently.

A lefty firebrand, Munterferig is has been on the most colorful politicians in Germany over the past 20 years. From the North, he is a big Soccer fan - in particular of the cult Hamburg side FC St. Pauli. He is said to smoke a pipe regularly around the cabinet table. He will be a big loss to Merkl's grand coalition particularly to its credibility with the SPD grassroots.

There has be no open speculation yet about a possible successor.

[meriwether]

Das ist nicht so gut, ya?
Gehen sie hier geradeaus (sic) und nehem sie die erste strasse (sic) links, oder rechts. Ich Weiss (sic) nicht.

[eurocrat]

This guy:
Forgein Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is being touted as the most likely to replace him as Vice Chancellor, with Olaf Scholz the parlimentary leader of the SPD likely to be promoted to Cabinet as Employment Minister.

[eurocrat]

Update: Opposition parties are starting to speculate that there is more to the resignation than 'family reasons'. The FDP (Liberals) are saying that his failure on the minimum wages laws is the real reason he decided to go. Thier leader has also prophised that more Ministers will follow his lead over the coming weeks.

The Greens are saying that Munterferig was 'politically tarnished' by the lack of progress made by the grand coalition. The did however praise his work while they were in government together.

Some members of the CDU have already began to fear that the loss of Munterferig will undermine the coalitions legitimacy's with the SPD's left. It will any further reform more difficult to pass through without his influence over that section of the party.

The Links (Left) Party have called on the SPD to leave the grand coalition entirely.

[Tipp North]

And they have a P a D and a S in their party name too......

[baslamak]

Could it also be the SPD is beginning to become worried at the progress of the new Left Party and are fearful it might eat away at its core working class support base if they continue in Merkl's grand coalition?

[eurocrat]

Could it also be the SPD is beginning to become worried at the progress of the new Left Party and are fearful it might eat away at its core working class support base if they continue in Merkl's grand coalition?

Well losing Munterferig won't help that perception and will give The Left more armory. He is kinda like John Prescott for Tony Blair in the early years. The guy from the working class background that gave the leadership cred with the Unions and more left leaning factions of the party. He was guy the grassroots would have trusted more than Schroeder.

I think this could be a big blow for the coaltion although they are playing things down so far.

The man himself is yet to make a statement. Merkl is holding off commenting until he does so. If he alludes to anything aside from personal reasons in his press conference than there could be some rumblings. My hunch is that he will make a dignified exit and say as little as possible. The German press are unlikely to probe any deeper should personal reasons be cited as the only factor.

[baslamak]

Eurocrat

What is your take on the Left Party, do they have a viable future and have any more from the SPD gone over to them since the the Left Party was formed?

regards

[FutureTaoiseach]

He is seen as having lost influence in the party to Kurt Beck. Perhaps he will succeed him.