Germany’s SPD seeks a stronger profile within coalition with conservatives

Germany’s Social Democratic Party is looking for a clearer identity inside its coalition with the Union parties as its poll numbers continue to fall.

After a two-day closed-door meeting, SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch said lawmakers would pay closer attention to the coalition’s legislative process. The goal, he said, is to make laws the group helps secure “even better” and to show more clearly what the Social Democrats contributed.

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even better

The party’s move comes as the SPD remains well behind the Union in opinion polling. Its leaders want their work in government to become more visible, rather than allowing the coalition’s wider agenda to define the party’s public profile.

Miersch said the group would seek to put its own mark on legislation while continuing to work within the coalition. The meeting’s conclusions are being followed as the party tries to reverse its decline in the polls.

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We also want, above all, to show in many areas what share the Social Democratic parliamentary group has had in this.