German SPD taps Scholz ally

Bloomberg

Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) nominated one of the main architects of their victory in September’s election to take over as party co-leader, and played down suggestions that their goal of forming a new government by early December is at risk.
Top SPD officials meeting in Berlin on Monday proposed Lars Klingbeil, general secretary since 2017 and a close ally of chancellor-in-waiting Olaf Scholz, to join Saskia Esken as co-leader. Incumbent Norbert Walter-Borjans has decided to step aside and Klingbeil’s nomination — which strengthens Scholz’s hold over the party and its agenda — will be rubber-stamped at a December 10-12 congress in the German capital.
As the party’s chancellor candidate, Scholz led SPD to a surprise comeback win in national vote. He is aiming to be sworn in to replace Angela Merkel in December at the head of a coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.
Several hundred officials from three parties are locked in complex coalition negotiations, and will need to bridge some significant differences on issues like tackling climate change and financing if they are to reach a deal.
Walter-Borjans and Esken both pushed back against suggestions the Greens are unhappy with progress on climate. It’s normal for coalition negotiations to experience occasional “wobble,” especially when there are three parties involved, Walter-Borjans said at a news conference.
“We have discovered so many basic things in common during these talks that I’m sure that we’ll get over this wobble and we’ll find a good result, including for the Greens,” he added. “That also goes for the FDP and for us too.”