ADVERTISEMENT

Social Democrats to elect Andrea Nahles as first female leader

Known for her lectern-thumping speeches and occasional outbursts of child-like humour, the 47-year-old single mother joins Chancellor Angela Merkel at the top of German politics.

Well-known for two decades in her SPD party, Nahles is expected to easily beat the only other candidate, Simone Lange, a former policewoman and mayor of the northern city of Flensburg.

Yet well-wishers are ironically hoping that the party stalwart does worse than her predecessor Martin Schulz in the delegates' vote at an SPD congress in the city of Wiesbaden.

A repeat of his 100-percent backing last year amid a euphoric "Schulz hype" would be seen as a bad omen given that in the end the luckless candidate scored just 20 percent in the September 2017 general election, the party's worst post-war result.

ADVERTISEMENT

While Schulz's roller-coaster ride in German politics has shuddered to a halt, the task of revitalising the dispirited SPD falls to Nahles, who campaigned strongly for another stint as junior partners to Merkel's conservatives.

The challenge for her labour party now will be to at once govern responsibly and convince its dwindling band of working-class voters that it is still fighting for their interests.

Bareknuckle fighter

Nahles, from the party's left wing, scored some landmark successes under the previous Merkel coalition government, notably in introducing a minimum wage.

When voters declined to reward the SPD in the 2017 elections for such gains, Schulz initially vowed a muscular fight from the opposition benches.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nahles at the time summed up the SPD's combative spirit against the Merkel government with a street brawler's phrase, telling journalists that "from tomorrow we'll smack 'em in the face".

When it turned out the SPD could rejoin Merkel after all, but drive a tough bargain in the process, she used a kindergarden taunt that loosely translates as "na-na na-na boo-boo".

It was not out of style for Nahles, who once mocked Merkel's party in the Bundestag by performing a slightly off-key rendition of the reality-denying theme song of Swedish children's book hero Pippi Longstocking.

While some find such performances grating, few underestimate Nahles, who, like Merkel, is considered a sharp strategist and hard worker, and a bareknuckle political operator.

When she invigorated her party with a passionate speech in January, the tabloid-style Bild daily paid her the questionable compliment of being "the only real guy" in her party.

ADVERTISEMENT

'Housewife or chancellor'

Nahles, the daughter of a bricklayer, hails from a small village in the rural Eifel region where she still lives in her great-grandparents' farmhouse with her young daughter and likes to ride a horse at the weekends.

A church-going Roman Catholic, she has described herself as a conservative at heart, albeit one who fights for working-class people.

Nahles wrote in her high school yearbook that one day she wanted to be "either a housewife or chancellor".

She founded her party's first chapter in her home village and, while studying German language and literature, joined the SPD youth wing, which she headed from age 25.

ADVERTISEMENT

In her career since, she has been a key figure in several crucial power plays and fought former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Agenda 2010 welfare cuts, telling him she had no time for "political machos".

Most recently she sidelined the two men who had dominated the SPD, Schulz and former foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel. Both are now watching German politics from the parliamentary backbenches.

Political analyst Matthias Micus of the Institute for Democracy Research in Goettingen questioned whether Nahles, as "a representative of the party establishment", is the best choice to lead a renewal of the SPD.

But when in comes to rebuilding the party's image as the champion of the common people, he said, Nahles is "well suited and credible".

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Distress of abducted Kuriga school children led to successful rescue - DHQ

Distress of abducted Kuriga school children led to successful rescue - DHQ

Reps halt NASU's strike to resolve dispute between FG, universities

Reps halt NASU's strike to resolve dispute between FG, universities

Lagos VIS seizes 50 unroadworthy vehicles in enforcement operation

Lagos VIS seizes 50 unroadworthy vehicles in enforcement operation

Aiyedatiwa sends 12 commissioner nominees to Ondo Assembly for confirmation

Aiyedatiwa sends 12 commissioner nominees to Ondo Assembly for confirmation

Woman saves animal from the streets — then she finds out it is something else

Woman saves animal from the streets — then she finds out it is something else

Alake calls on Badaru to fish out illegal miners, violators of mining laws

Alake calls on Badaru to fish out illegal miners, violators of mining laws

Divers find bodies of 2 people who drowned after Baltimore bridge collapsed

Divers find bodies of 2 people who drowned after Baltimore bridge collapsed

INEC rejects LP's National convention in Anambra, questions venue change

INEC rejects LP's National convention in Anambra, questions venue change

8 people including professor declared wanted over killing of 17 soldiers

8 people including professor declared wanted over killing of 17 soldiers

Pulse Sports

Nigeria vs Mali: Has Finidi George done enough to land Super Eagles job permanently?

Nigeria vs Mali: Has Finidi George done enough to land Super Eagles job permanently?

I want to emulate Keshi and win the AFCON - Finidi George shares ambitious Super Eagles dream

I want to emulate Keshi and win the AFCON - Finidi George shares ambitious Super Eagles dream

Michelle Alozie: I had to do it because of African referees

Michelle Alozie: I had to do it because of African referees

AC Milan star reveals he was named after Super Eagles legend Tijani Babangida

AC Milan star reveals he was named after Super Eagles legend Tijani Babangida

Give him the job! Super Eagles fans beg NFF to make Finidi George permanent coach after Nigeria's win over Ghana

Give him the job! Super Eagles fans beg NFF to make Finidi George permanent coach after Nigeria's win over Ghana

Super Eagles 2-1 Black Stars: Nigerians praise Iwobi, Lookman, Finidi George after friendly victory against Ghana

Super Eagles 2-1 Black Stars: Nigerians praise Iwobi, Lookman, Finidi George after friendly victory against Ghana

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT