A debate has erupted inside the Social Democrats about what went wrong and caused the party to lose so many votes in the recent elections. Sanae Abdi, the SPD’s spokeswoman on development policy in the Bundestag, insists on a “change in mindset” within the party: “As the SPD, we hardly ever talk about disarmament and diplomacy anymore. As Social Democrats, we must not rely solely on military means; we must also lay the groundwork for peace—through dialogue and arms control.” She warns that this also applies to the purchase and development of certain weapons systems. “There is a fine line between necessary deterrence and potential escalation.”

Abdi also criticizes the federal government’s cuts to civilian aid. “While Germany is slashing its development cooperation funding, Putin is inviting leaders to the Africa Summit. Partnership with the countries of the Global South is indispensable in this global political climate.”