Merkel meets SPD women, heated exchange over Schwesig criticism
Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a private meeting with female SPD Bundestag members, where his criticism of Minister President Manuela Schwesig sparked a tense discussion.
At the Bundeskanzleramt, Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened a closed-door session with female members of the SPD parliamentary group, offering ice cream and apple cake. During the meeting he again accused Minister President Manuela Schwesig of deliberately campaigning against him and blamed her for the CDU’s absence from the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament. The comments triggered a heated exchange among the SPD women, with several expressing disapproval of the invitation being limited to women.
The meeting, which was not announced publicly, also covered topics such as the political situation in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD, and a possible ban procedure. Merz indicated that a follow-up meeting with the SPD women would be arranged.
Why it matters
The clash reveals growing tensions between the governing coalition’s parties and could affect future cooperation.
How this story developed
- Sep 30 Berlin parties SPD, Greens and Left meet to explore cautious coalition talks
- Oct 11 The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg opened proceedings against Sergi Kuznetsov, who is charged with using prohibited combat methods against civilian targets and causing an explosion. Prosecutors say he led a seven-person team that rented a falsified-document yacht and placed explosives near Bornholm, damaging Nord Stream 1 and 2. The indictment claims the operation was ordered by Ukrainian state institutions while Kuznetsov served in a sabotage unit. His defence will argue that the Russian pipelines were not legitimate military targets given the ongoing war.
- Oct 12 Bärbel Bas announced her resignation from both the federal labor ministry and her role as co-leader of the SPD, citing personal reasons.
- Oct 12 SPD will elect new leadership at its year‑end congress.
- Oct 13 SPD economics minister Franziska Giffey announced she will not back continuation of the exploratory coalition talks.
- Oct 13 Finance minister Lars Klingbeil blamed the Union for creating a hostile environment that led to Bas’s resignation.
- Oct 14 The Left’s Berlin parliamentary faction voted to admit Vanessa Emde.
- Oct 14 The Hamburg court is hearing arguments on K.'s extradition and his right to discuss the alleged sabotage.
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