Lars Klingbeil wants to make the SPD more defensive – but the party is holding back

Berlin Lars Klingbeil is standing between two large fire engines in the fire brigade center in Stadthagen. While the autumn wind is blowing the first leaves across the driveway outside, Klingbeil is talking about civil defense and disaster control inside. A topic that “far too little attention was paid to” until February 24, as Klingbeil finds.

Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the country has suddenly resumed debates about civil protection, cyber attacks or the lack of bunkers. Klingbeil promises Stadthagen’s district fire chief Klaus-Peter Grote that the SPD will discuss further resources for civil protection in a “blue light conference”.

February 24th changed a lot for the SPD, on a small scale, as can be seen here at the fire station in Stadthagen, and on a large scale. A social-democratic chancellor is equipping the Bundeswehr with 100 billion euros, and a social-democratic defense minister wants to relax arms export rules. But no other social democrat dared to go as far as Klingbeil at the turn of the century.