Scholz and SPD kick start election campaign offensive in Germany

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) held a so-called 'election victory conference' on Saturday in Berlin, ahead of the snap elections that are due to take place next year.

SPD members were met at the party's headquarters by protesters demanding an immediate ban on the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Inside, party leaders Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil delivered tough speeches, promising to a party for workers which also uphold policies for the people.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the opposition party Christian Democrats (CDU) under their chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz is very far removed from the CDU under former chancellor Angela Merkel, who led Germany for 16 years. Scholz added that the CDU have become distant from their social values, and warned against their conservative policies including on pensions.

Both Scholz and Esken slammed the liberal FDP party, and former finance minister Christian Lindner for "deliberately" sabotaging the coalition, after it emerged this week that the FDP had planned for some time to leave the government around the time of the US elections.

Whilst the mood at the conference was jubilant, with members breaking out to applaud every few sentences during the speeches, the SPD is currently polling in third place, according to the latest polls in Germany, behind CDU and AfD.

Scholz said that if re-elected, the SPD would push for change, including with affordable housing and would strive to save jobs, as several of Germany's giants including Volkswagen and ThyssenKrupp have announced massive job cuts amid a struggling economy.

The chancellor also distanced himself from Brussels, promising to prevent German companies being fined from next year by the EU if they fail