A top official from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party has resigned, a year before the national election. Kevin Kühnert, the 35-year-old general secretary of the centre-left Social Democrats, has stepped down citing health issues. This development comes as the party faces a challenging election ahead, following a decline in poll ratings since Scholz narrowly won the national election in 2021.
Kühnert, who previously led the party’s youth organisation, played a key role in opposing the Social Democrats’ entry into former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government in 2018. In a letter posted on his Instagram account, Kühnert explained that he is unable to give his best effort due to health reasons and needs time to recover. He expressed his belief that everyone in the party should strive for excellence in the upcoming election campaign, scheduled for September 2025.
The resignation of Kühnert marks a significant personnel change within the ruling coalition parties. The Greens’ co-leaders recently announced their decision to step down after a series of disappointing election outcomes, with their replacements set to be elected next month. The Social Democrats have faced setbacks, including finishing behind the conservative Union bloc and the far-right Alternative for Germany in the European Parliament election, as well as poor results in state elections in eastern Germany.
Following Kühnert’s announcement, there has been no immediate information on his successor. The departure of such an influential figure within the party adds to the political dynamics as Germany gears up for a crucial national election in the coming year.