SPD To Propose Fin Min. Olaf Scholz As Chancellor Candidate: Funke

Funke Media reporting that Germany's second-largest party, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are set to propose Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz as its candidate for the position of chancellor in the next federal election, required to be held by October 2021.

• Scholz is a well-known figure in German politics and is seen as a moderate within the party, compared the the more overtly left-wing platform of party leaders Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken.
• The SPD are polling around 14-15%, putting them in third-place nationally. If this was reflected in the election it would mark an all-time low in support for the party.
• The SPD has lost support to the environmentalist Greens (polling in second place on 16-20%) in many areas of former West Germany, as well as in urban centres.
• Meanwhile, in former East Germany, the right-wing nationalist Alternative for Germany has been able to siphon off some of the SPD's more socially conservative voters.
• At present the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is on course to emerge as the comfortable victor in the election, with the party's support soaring as the government has effectively handled the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this support could stutter once the party selects a new leader and chancellor candidate, with popular 15-year incumbent Angela Merkel not running for another term in office.