Русская версияIt's been a tough year for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which
has seen its approval rating hover at around 22 percent.
Muenterfering, for many a beloved elder statesman known for his
folksy style, has been alarmed as he's watched the slide from the
sidelines.
Muentefering is reportedly so concerned by his party's direction
that he announced his comeback nine months after stepping down as
deputy chancellor and employment minister, according to an article
published in the
Rheinische Post
on Sunday, Aug.
17. An SPD spokesman would not comment immediately
on the newspaper report.
Muentefering left politics in November 2007, to spend
time with his wife, Ankepetra, who died of cancer last month. He
has not publicly commented on his future political plans.
A moderate voice
Muentefering is known as a centrist who maintained a good working
relationship with political rival Chancellor Angela Merkel. He was
seen as a key figure in holding together the "grand coalition" made
up of Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union with the SPD
as a junior partner.
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The SPD doesn't want to remain a junior partner in the ruling
coalition
Moderate and conservative factions of the SPD, which have felt
sidelined in recent months as the party has shifted leftwards,
welcomed Muentefering's return.
"[Muentefering] is an integration figure for the party and for many
voters he is simply indispensible," SPD politician Johannes Kahrs
said.
The CDU's Christian Wulff said he would "greatly welcome"
Muentefering's return to party leadership, citing the elder
statesman's political acumen as an asset to the coalition.
Not everyone loves him
While Muentefering will reportedly return to parliament
starting in September, it remains unclear whether he will also
resume a leadership role within the SPD.
Left-leaning SPD members do not want Muentefering to come
back. They are pushing for the 68-year-old Muentefering to take up
the post as head of the party's Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The
influential political organization has branch offices in more than
90 countries. The post would also be a way to keep Muentefering
from re-entering the daily political fray.
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Merkel and Muentefering had a good working relationship
It's unknown whether Muentefering wants to be considered as a
chancellor candidate to run against Merkel next year. SPD head Kurt
Beck, who has been responsible for the party's recent move to the
left, said he is respecting Muentefering's mourning
period for his wife.
"We have contact with one another and we will speak with one
another about these questions," Beck told the AP news
agency on Monday.
(Deutsche Welle)
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