Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has dismissed calls for a wholesale leadership overhaul of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) after the party suffered a heavy defeat in the Rhineland-Palatinate state election. Speaking to the DPA news agency during a visit to Tokyo, Pistorius said now is not the moment for internal personnel fights.
The SPD, which had led coalitions in Rhineland-Palatinate for 35 years, was pushed from first place by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats in Sunday’s vote. Pistorius described the result as “very poor,” saying it did not reflect the campaign run by state premier Alexander Schweitzer. He added that opening a personnel debate now would be “irresponsible” given the global situation and the challenges Germany faces, and said he is not available to take on party leadership roles.
Regularly ranked among the SPD’s most popular politicians, Pistorius urged the party to concentrate on governing rather than internal wrangling. His remarks came after SPD lawmaker Doris Schröder-Köpf called for a complete shake-up of the party leadership, naming Saarland premier Anke Rehlinger and Pistorius as potential top figures and suggesting replacements for other senior party officials such as Lars Klingbeil.
Sunday’s elections delivered further bad news for the SPD: in Munich, the Greens defeated long-time SPD incumbent Dieter Reiter in the mayoral contest, signaling setbacks for the party in another traditional stronghold.
Other notable developments across Germany on March 23, 2026:
– Federal court rejects DUH suits: The Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe dismissed lawsuits by environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) that sought to bar BMW and Mercedes-Benz from selling new combustion-engine cars after November 2030. The court upheld lower-court rulings and rejected the argument that civil courts could compel companies to take climate action beyond existing regulations. DUH said it may seek a review by the Constitutional Court.
– Lufthansa considers Munich terminal expansion: Lufthansa is weighing a major investment to expand Terminal 2 at Munich Airport, potentially adding capacity for up to 10 million passengers a year. CEO Carsten Spohr is expected to provide more details during ceremonies marking the airline’s 100th anniversary.
– German researcher deported from Indonesia: Indonesian authorities deported Vlad Alexandru Tataru from Central Sulawesi, alleging he conducted unauthorized research and collected endemic plant samples in Lore Lindu National Park without the necessary permits. He had entered on a visa on arrival, which does not permit research activities.
– Stranded whale in the Baltic Sea: A whale was found alive on a sandbank in the Bay of Lübeck near Niendorf. Authorities and wildlife experts sealed off the area and worked to guide the animal back to open water, urging the public to keep away. Conservation group Sea Shepherd said it had recently freed the animal from fishing net debris and believes it to be a humpback.
DW’s Bonn newsroom is following these developments as the SPD assesses the electoral fallout and considers its next steps in government.