- Title: German finmin Scholz to run for SPD leadership - Der Spiegel
- Date: 16th August 2019
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - DECEMBER 9, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND FINANCE MINISTER, OLAF SCHOLZ, SPEAKING AT SPD PARTY CONVENTION
- Embargoed: 30th August 2019 11:05
- Keywords: German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz SPD leadership
- Location: BERLIN & LICHTERFELD, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN & LICHTERFELD, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASGULHJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz will run for leadership of the centre-right Social Democrats (SPD), a German magazine reported on Friday (August 16).
"I'm willing to run if you want me to," Der Spiegel cited Scholz as saying in a telephone conference on Monday with the party's three interim leaders. It said none of them opposed his offer.
Scholz, the most high-profile candidate to join the race, had previously ruled himself out.
The SPD, which along with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives has dominated post-war German politics, has seen its popularity plunge to fourth position in some polls. Some party members want to end their coalition with Merkel, which they only reluctantly entered due to a lack of alternatives.
The SPD in June appointed three caretakers to run the party after leader Andrea Nahles resigned.
A spokeswoman for the German finance ministry declined to comment on the report that Scholz was willing to run for the SPD leadership.
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