Germany's Social Democrats nominate Schulz as chancellor candidate

Record ID: 165491

  • Title: Germany's Social Democrats nominate Schulz as chancellor candidate
  • Date: 24th January 2017
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JANUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS NIGHT EXTERIORS OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATS (SPD) PARTY HEADQUARTERS, WITH GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND ECONOMY MINISTER SIGMAR GABRIEL SEEN THROUGH WINDOW DURING MEETING AHEAD OF NEWS CONFERENCE GABRIEL AND FORMER EU PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT, MARTIN SCHULZ, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE STATUE OF FORMER CHANCELLOR, WILLY BRANDT (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND ECONOMY MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING "Martin Schulz will be the candidate for chancellor of the SPD for the 2017 Bundestag election. This was our unanimous decision during our meeting and what we will put to the party's executive next Sunday when it will have to decide." CAMERA CREWS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND ECONOMY MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING "Martin Schulz will also be the new SPD party leader. The party leadership was also a unanimous decision taken after a suggestion I put forward together with (Hamburg mayor) Olaf Scholz and (state premier) Hannelore Kraft. The candidacy is only credible if the entire party has a consistent leadership and not like last time a separation between the party's leadership and the candidate for chancellor." PEOPLE IN LOBBY (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND ECONOMY MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING "Third, I would also like to thank the party's executive for deciding to make me the successor of Frank-Walter Steinmeier as foreign minister. Fourth, the executive also decided unanimously that Brigitte Zypries, who is deputy economy minister, will be the next economy and energy minister, my successor." STATUE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND ECONOMY MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING "The next Bundestag election won't be like any other. It not only decides on Germany's path but about Europe's stability. Germany is an anchor of stability but it also has to supply more stability to other countries again." STATUE (SOUNDBITE) (German) FORMER EU PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT AND CANDIDATE FOR GERMAN CHANCELLOR, MARTIN SCHULZ, SAYING: "There is a deep cut going through society, not just in our country but in other countries in Europe as well. European societies are drifting apart. After the presidential election in the United States one may say that society is drifting apart across the world." CAMERA CREWS (SOUNDBITE) (German) FORMER EU PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT AND CANDIDATE FOR GERMAN CHANCELLOR, MARTIN SCHULZ, SAYING: "We want to have an election campaign which in the end will hand us, Germany's Social Democrats, the task of leading this country. This country needs a new leadership in these difficult times." STATUE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN VICE CHANCELLOR AND ECONOMY MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING (ASKED: AND WHY AREN'T YOU THE SPD'S CANDIDATE FOR CHANCELLOR? WHAT ARE THE REASONS?): "Because he has the better chances. (pauses) The leader of the SPD, I always said that, has to have the aspiration to be able to do it. He must have the authority to propose the name who is the better candidate for the country and the SPD, the one with the better chances. And that's why I proposed Martin Schulz which is almost obvious." LOBBY SCHULZ AND GABRIEL WALKING OFF
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2017 19:22
  • Keywords: SPD Social Democrats Berlin election Merkel September Schulz foreign minister
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY & PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: BERLIN, GERMANY & PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA00160FY4W7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Germany's Social Democrats have nominated former European Parliament President Martin Schulz to run against conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel in an election in September, Schulz and party leader Sigmar Gabriel said on Tuesday (January 24).
    The party will vote on the nomination on Sunday, when Schulz will also present the party's election programme, they said.
    Gabriel said the party has also agreed that he should replace Frank-Walter Steinmeier as foreign minister.
    Asked why he was not the SPD's candidate for chancellor, Gabriel, pointing to Schulz, told reporters "because he has the better chances."
    Schulz said that Germany needed a "new leadership" during these "difficult times" and that "there is a deep cut going through society, not just in our country but in other countries in Europe."
    "European societies are drifting apart. After the presidential election in the United States one may say that society is drifting apart across the world," said Schulz.
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