Steinmeier speaks

Germany's erstwhile grand coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), continued their party congress in Dresden on Saturday, where former-foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressed the delegates.

Steinmeier, the leader of the party's parliamentary group spoke to the 500 assembled members of the SPD saying, "We must not leave the governing coalition any peace."

The new government of Chancellor Merkel's Christian Democrats and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), Steinmeier said, has no plan for the future, but continues to govern based on the failed policies of yesterday.

Rallying a defeated party

He accused the new administration of playing politics and pandering to the rich; increasing the national debt while the majority of Germans watch the divide between the wealthy and poor expand.

Steinmeier, who was soundly defeated in the in the general election in September, earning a paltry 23 percent of the vote, the worst result for the SPD since World War II, called on his party to adopt a hard line against the new administration's policies.

A "difficult time" lies before the SPD, he said, but "Germany needs a strong SPD" and a "strong opposition."

Confidence was much higher after the election of Sigmar Gabriel as the new chairman of the SPD on the first day of the party congress. Gabriel succeeded Franz Muenterfering on whose shoulders most of the blame for SPD's poor general election performance has been laid.

sjt/dpa/AP/AFP
Editor: Andreas Illmer