Party conference

The Social Democrats (SPD) want to occupy the center left. That's the position from which they hope to win back power within two years. And that's what party leader Sigmar Gabriel made clear at a three-day party conference in Berlin, which ended on Tuesday. Together with the Greens, the Social Democrats want to bring about the end of the current center-right ruling coalition in parliamentary elections in fall 2013. In a lively and engaging speech, Gabriel, who was reelected as party chairman with a big majority on Monday, said the party wanted to restore hope and social justice to Germany.

A stronger leader

Gabriel has held the post of party chairman since 2009, when he was voted in at a party conference in Dresden after a catastrophic performance in national elections. The oldest party in Germany, known as "Aunty SPD," polled just 23 percent of the vote, their worst-ever result on a national level. Gabriel found himself with the Herculean task of winning back voters lost to the left, without offending the middle ground. Above all he had to speak to those who had turned away from the SPD following reforms to the labor market under the government of Gerhard Schröder in the 1990s.

Two years on, the party has recovered somewhat under Gabriel's leadership. Polls show around 30 percent support among voters. That's still far below their heyday as a real people's party. But the trend is heading upward, and the SPD was keen to appear self-confident, upbeat and above all united at this year's party conference.

They even managed to defuse an argument about tax policy. The party's left had demand a 53 percent "rich tax" for those who earn above 125,000 euros a year. The party leadership had said it was against such plans and proposed more moderate tax rises. The compromise suggestion, which won the day, demanded a rise in the top rate of tax from 42 to 49 percent. The compensation tax on interest earnings would also rise from 25 to 32 percent.

Three candidates for chancellor

But despite attempts to present a harmonious front, unrest is growing in the party ranks. It's still unclear who should lead the party when the national election campaign gets underway in roughly 18 months' time. At the moment there are three candidates in the race. Alongside party leader Sigmar Gabriel, there's the former foreign minister and current parliamentary leader, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the former finance minister, Peer Steinbrück. Both Steinbrück and Steinmeier made crucial contributions to the conference, and both made much-anticipated speeches.

It was above all Steinbrück's speech, scheduled for the last day of the conference, which was eagerly anticipated by the 500 delegates and numerous journalists. But his comments on finance and tax policy were met with only polite applause. The former finance minister, who is on the more conservative and economically liberal wing of the SPD, may not hold any office, but he consistently scores well in opinion polls, and his candidacy is supported by former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

The grandfather man of social democracy

Schmidt, - the "very old man," as he describes himself - is seen in Germany as an elder statesman par excellence. People read his articles in the weekly newspaper Die Zeit and listen to what he says. The chain-smoker, who is now nearly 93, is one of the most well-loved talk-show guests on German television and is seen as a political authority who stands above party politics. When he appeared at the SPD party conference on Sunday, even before it opened, he managed to enthuse the delegates ahead of three days of talks in wintry and grey Berlin.

It's been 13 years since Schmidt last spoke at an SPD conference and he chose not to talk about party politics; he spoke about Europe in his reflective and passionate speech, and warned that Germany should not isolate itself from the rest of the EU.

Due to Germany's geo-political location, troubled past and economic power, Schmidt said Germany should be extra sensitive in negotiations with neighboring countries and European partners. To the cheers of delegates he warned against "scandalous nationalist bragging."

"For us Social Democrats his speech was moving," Gabriel declared as the conference closed. "It was something like Schmidt's bequest to his party." After three long days with lots of talk and lively discussions the party leader remained in good humor and full of confidence. "The SPD is back," he said. "We are ready for government and willing to govern."

Author: Bettina Marx / ji
Editor: Michael Lawton