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Beck defends leftward shift
By Hugh Williamson in Berlin

Published: March 11 2008 02:00 | Last updated: March 11 2008 02:00

Kurt Beck, the weakened leader of Germany's Social Democrats, yesterday dismissed suggestions he would resign and challenged his party to face up to "new political realities" by forging links with the country's resurgent ex-communists.

The SPD, junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling grand coalition, needed a "a new positioning" towards possible coalition partners, including the Left party, which includes former communists and dissident Social Democrats, Mr Beck told a packed press conference in Berlin. He added emphatically that he intended to "keep hold of the reins" of the SPD.

"The rise of the Left party and therefore of a five-party system is a reflection of reality in our society and we must tackle this reality. This is different to [Germany] 10 years ago," he said.

His warning came against a backdrop of a marked fall in Mr Beck's personal ratings and support for the SPD following a series of political blunders that have raised questions about his leadership and strategy of moving his party leftwards.

He defended his decision to endorse a possible tie-up between the SPD and the Left party in the regional parliament in Hesse, west Germany, saying a new approach was needed.

Mr Beck conceded that his leftward shift, aimed at limiting the influence the Left party, had failed but denied he had broken a promise to voters. "We have to be able to change strategy, otherwise we are paralysed politically".
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008