Ulf Kämpfer Named SPD Spitzenkandidat for 2027 Schleswig-Holstein Election amid Calls to Defend Democracy

Ulf Kämpfer, the 53-year-old Mayor of Kiel, has been confirmed as the SPD’s Spitzenkandidat for the 2027 Landtag elections in Schleswig-Holstein. Despite recent electoral challenges, Kämpfer remains optimistic, stating that those who believe the SPD is finished are "gravely mistaken." He emphasized that the party has a year and a half to prepare for the state elections scheduled for spring 2027. Kämpfer criticized the incumbent black-green state government led by Daniel Günther, accusing it of self-satisfaction and warning Günther to be ready for a tough contest ahead.

On the same day, Manuela Schwesig, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Minister-President and prominent SPD figure, commemorated the historic significance of November 9. She highlighted the day’s weighty legacy, including the founding of the Weimar Republic, the 1938 Pogromnacht, and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Schwesig stressed the importance of actively defending democracy, citing the Weimar Republic’s collapse as a cautionary tale and the Pogromnacht as a reminder of how rights can be stripped under dictatorship. She noted the Berlin Wall’s fall as a symbol of hope and unity.

Schwesig’s remarks underscore the SPD leadership’s broader framing of the upcoming election period as a pivotal moment not only in party politics but in the ongoing defense of democratic values in Germany. SPD’s positioning against the black-green coalition and commitment to safeguarding democracy will shape their strategic messaging in the run-up to the 2027 elections in both Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.