The European Social Democrats (SPD) launched their official campaign for the upcoming European elections on June 9th, with a strong focus on countering the shift to the right and fighting against extreme right-wing ideologies. The launch of the campaign took place in Berlin-Moabit, where top politicians from European social democracy gathered to discuss their central message.
The meeting in Berlin was significant due to the recent attack on SPD European politician Matthias Ecke in Dresden. Kevin Kühnert, the leader of the SPD’s youth organization, expressed his shock and concern over the increasing number of attacks on campaign workers and the threat that far-right extremists pose to democracy. The incident in Dresden, where witnesses identified the perpetrators as potentially linked to the right-wing scene, reinforced the urgency of the party’s message against extremism.
In response to this threat, the European Social Democrats issued a “Berlin Declaration of Democracy,” which pledged to maintain a strong stance against right-wing extremism and avoid any coalitions with extremist parties in the European Parliament. Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that unity is crucial in standing against right-wing extremism and protecting democracy against such threats.
Throughout the meeting, there was a clear rejection of any alliances with right-wing extremist parties in European politics. The SPD’s tough stance against extremism and commitment to defending democratic values were highlighted as crucial elements of their campaign strategy for June 9th.
