Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08DUSSELDORF18, BELEAGUERED NRW SPD REELECTS CHAIRWOMAN; DELEGATES DOUBTFUL

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08DUSSELDORF18.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08DUSSELDORF18 2008-04-16 09:50 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Dusseldorf
VZCZCXRO9370
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDF #0018/01 1070950
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160950Z APR 08
FM AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0131
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF 0147
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSSELDORF 000018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON ELAB GM
SUBJECT: BELEAGUERED NRW SPD REELECTS CHAIRWOMAN; DELEGATES DOUBTFUL 
ABOUT BECK CHANCELLOR CANDIDACY 
 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000018  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified -- Not for Internet Distribution 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: At a state party convention on April 5, the 
North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Social Democrats (SPD) reelected 
chair Hannelore Kraft by a landslide, setting her up to lead the 
party in four important elections in the state over the next 18 
months.  As the party strives to return to power in Germany's 
former social democratic heartland, Kraft and visiting national 
SPD chair Kurt Beck stressed their goal of pushing back Left 
Party influence, but did not rule out future cooperation at the 
state level.  Kraft energized her party, but remains far from 
becoming Minister President in 2010.  The convention might have 
bolstered Beck's comeback as party chairman, but few delegates 
expected him to be SPD chancellor candidate in 2009.  End 
Summary. 
 
A Beleaguered Party Prepares for 2009/2010 Elections 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
2.  (U) Some 450 delegates convened in Duesseldorf for their 
annual convention on April 5.  The meeting came at a time when 
the NRW SPD faces an unprecedented erosion of its electoral 
base, partially a result of its leadership crisis nationally in 
the wake of the controversy in Hesse about cooperation with the 
Left Party.  The most recent opinion poll, published on the eve 
of the convention, showed the NRW SPD at an all-time low, 
trailing the CDU by 10 percent (31 vs. 41 percent) two years 
before the next state parliament elections.  This is the largest 
gap between the two parties since 1958, after which NRW evolved 
into West Germany's social democratic "heartland," enabling the 
SPD to govern continuously for almost 40 years until 2005.  The 
conclave was the first in a series of events planned for the 
next 18 months to prepare for the 2009 statewide local, European 
Parliament, and federal elections, as well as the 2010 state 
parliament polls. 
 
A Vote of Confidence for Kraft 
----------------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) The most important outcome was the reelection of 
Hannelore Kraft (46), SPD state parliament Floor Leader since 
May 2005 and State Chair since January 2007.  The sole 
candidate, she received 97 percent of the vote, one point more 
than in 2007.  A Kraft confidant claimed that this vote of 
confidence proves that she can rally the party behind her and 
lead it back to power in 2010. 
 
Beck tries to get a Boost from NRW SPD 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) National SPD chair Kurt Beck used the convention to 
try to profit from the image of a united party.  In a 
well-choreographed move, he entered the hall when delegates were 
giving Kraft a standing ovation, creating the impression for TV 
that the crowd was celebrating him.  Nevertheless, he put in a 
"solid performance," as several delegates put it, doing no 
damage to his reputation and evidently convincing many of the 
rank and file that he's on the upswing.  Delegates who had been 
present at the Hamburg national convention last fall told us 
that Beck's speech in Duesseldorf was "much better." 
 
6.  (SBU) Several delegates indicated to us that they expect 
Beck to continue as national SPD chairman, but left no doubt 
that "somebody else" (e.g. Foreign Minister Steinmeier) would be 
the party's next chancellor candidate.  Two politicians with key 
positions in the national SPD pointed out to us that such a 
tandem solution has worked well in the past (i.e. with 
Brandt/Schmidt and Lafontaine/Schroeder). 
 
Cooperation with Left Party Possible 
-------------------------------- 
 
7.  (U) In their speeches, both Kraft and Beck touched on 
possible cooperation with the Left Party.  Kraft vowed that the 
NRW SPD would do everything possible to keep the Left below five 
percent and out of the Landtag.  The SPD seeks "conflict," (sic) 
she stated, not cooperation, with the Left.  However, she also 
stressed that it made no sense to speculate about possible 
coalitions two years before the next elections, thus leaving the 
door open for cooperation, if necessary, to replace the CDU-FDP 
coalition. 
 
8.  (SBU) Beck reiterated the official SPD position that each 
state organization would decide for itself whether to cooperate 
with the Left Party, but that there would be no such cooperation 
at the national level.  A district chairman from the Ruhr region 
told us the SPD's commitment against cooperation with the Left 
nationally would only hold as long as Lafontaine remained Left 
Party Bundestag floor leader (as an SPD renegade, the SPD 
leadership would refuse to deal with him).  Another national SPD 
figure from the Ruhr confided that he was unhappy with Beck's 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000018  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
and Kraft's statements on this issue, as he would have liked 
them to disassociate themselves from the Left Party in clearer 
terms. 
 
Comment 
-------- 
 
9.  (SBU) In contrast to the uncertainty surrounding the 
national SPD leadership, the NRW party projected an image of 
unity behind Hannelore Kraft.  She may have energized her party, 
but she will have a difficult uphill battle to regain power in 
its former heartland.  Kraft also visibly helped Beck, whom she 
considers a kindred spirit and an ally, using the convention to 
try to bolster his fortunes as party chairman.  Support from the 
largest SPD state organization nationally will be vital as he 
tries to restore his position in the party.  However, we 
encountered no delegates who would predict that he will be SPD 
chancellor candidate in 2009. 
 
10. (U) This message was coordinated with Embassy Berlin. 
BOYSE