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Martin Schulz
Image: Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesImage: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Martin Schulz

Martin Schulz is a German politician from the SPD. He heads the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and was president of the European Parliament until 2017.

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All Content on this topic

Andrea Nahles

Who could take over as head of Germany's Social Democrats?

Andrea Nahles has resigned as leader of the SPD. DW takes a look at the candidates who might replace her.
PoliticsJune 2, 20197 images
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center right, talks with CDU party chairwoman Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer

AKK: Merkel is safe, for now

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has told DW she wants Angela Merkel to see out her remaining three years as chancellor.
PoliticsDecember 8, 2018

Martin Schulz: 'I am not a bad loser'

The former president of the European Parliament failed in his bid to unseat Angela Merkel. Is he looking for a comeback?
PoliticsNovember 21, 2018
SPD-Parteitag in Berlin | Martin Schulz, Vorsitzender

Martin Schulz on Conflict Zone

DW's Conflict Zone meets Martin Schulz, former president of the European Parliament.
PoliticsNovember 21, 201826:04 min
SPD politician Martin Schulz

Schulz visits Brazil's ex-President Lula in jail

Ahead of Brazil's elections, former German SPD leader Martin Shulz said believes Lula's claims that he is innocent.
PoliticsAugust 31, 2018
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Martin Schulz visits Lula

Former President of European Parliament Schulz visits jailed ex-Brazilian President Lula da Silva
August 31, 201802:53 min
Torn Martin Schulz campaign poster

SPD publishes 2017 election debacle analysis

The SPD has presented a 100-page examination of reasons for the party's crushing election loss last year.
PoliticsJune 11, 2018
Martin Schulz

Could Martin Schulz make a political comeback?

The ex-SPD leader is being discussed as a potential top candidate for the center-left's 2019 European election campaign.
PoliticsJune 6, 2018
Andrea Nahles

New chairwoman Nahles seeks to unify SPD

Andrea Nahles is the new leader of Germany's Social Democrats. Can she heal the deep divisions in the SPD?
PoliticsApril 22, 2018
Front page of the contract

Germany's coalition agreement: What's in it?

DW examines the deal reached by the Social Democrats and Angela Merkel's conservatives to govern the country.
PoliticsMarch 12, 2018
Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz

Scholz ready to control Germany's purse strings

DW takes a look at Hamburg mayor Olaf Scholz's rise in the SPD, and what he might do as head of the Finance Ministry.
PoliticsMarch 9, 2018
Andrea Nahles speaking to ThyssenKrupp workers

Could Andrea Nahles lead SPD out of its rut?

Former Labor Minister Andrea Nahles looks set to be the first woman to head Germany's Social Democratic Party.
PoliticsFebruary 13, 2018
Martin Schulz announces his resignation as SPD head

Germany: Martin Schulz steps down as SPD head

The embattled former European Parliament president has resigned from his post as the head of Germany's SPD.
PoliticsFebruary 13, 2018
Simone Lange

Mayor challenges Nahles for SPD leadership

A surprise announcement by a northern SPD mayor may complicate plans to hand over SPD leadership to Nahles.
PoliticsFebruary 13, 2018
Volkswagen float

Düsseldorf carnival parade pulls no punches

Carnival parades in Germany give satirists ample scope to demonstrate their art.
PoliticsFebruary 12, 20187 images
DW-Studio Berlin - Stammtisch

Stammtisch - political chat from Berlin

Germany has a government! Well almost. Merkel’s conservatives are back together with the Ex. True love?
PoliticsFebruary 9, 201830:53 min
Martin Schulz at the SPD party conference

Too little, too late, Martin Schulz!

The SPD is embroiled in a public quarrel that tarnishes the reputation of Germany's political class at large.
PoliticsFebruary 9, 2018
Charlotte Jahnz, a new SPD member, seated at a table in Bad Godesberg's town hall

New members in SPD may play pivotal role

Suddenly, Germany's SPD has thousands of new members – why have they joined the floundering party?
PoliticsFebruary 9, 2018
Martin Schulz

Germany's Schulz drops bid for foreign minister job

SPD head Martin Schulz has abandoned his bid to head Germany's Foreign Ministry following pressure from his party.
PoliticsFebruary 9, 2018
Abschlup PKmKoalitionsverhandlungen von Union und SPD

Inside Europe: A coalition deal in Berlin

EU leaders have hailed a deal on a new German coalition government as good news for Europe. On Wednesday Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives hammered out a new Grand Coalition agreement with the Social Democrats. It came four months after inconclusive elections here in Germany. Keith Walker speaks with DW's Political and Security Correspondent Thomas Sparrow about the next steps.
PoliticsFebruary 9, 201805:15 min
Sigmar Gabriel and Martin Schulz in July 2017

Germany's Gabriel has harsh words for SPD

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has accused his apparent successor Martin Schulz of failing to keep his word.
PoliticsFebruary 8, 2018
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at a party conference

SPD's rank and file want change

So much for reinvention: It's grand coalition 3.0 for Germany's Social Democrats.
PoliticsFebruary 8, 2018
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Mostly male, old and Protestant: Who are the SPD's members?

PoliticsFebruary 7, 201800:54 min
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Germany coalition deal done

Germany's biggest political parties have announced an agreement to form a coalition government.
February 7, 201802:34 min
Deutsche Welle Strack Christoph Portrait

Does Germany finally have a government?

Christoph Strack
The deal between Germany's conservatives and the Social Democrats was long overdue, but it's only a temporary victory.
PoliticsFebruary 7, 2018
German politicians negotiating

Germany's coalition talks continue

The Christian Democrats and Social Democrats are still hashing out issues concerning labor market and health policy.
PoliticsFebruary 7, 2018
Deutschland Angela Merkel und Martin Schulz

Parties enter final talks to build new German government

German Chancellor Merkel's CDU/CSU has embarked on a final round of talks with the SPD to form a new government.
PoliticsFebruary 4, 2018
Horst Seehofer (left), Angela Merkel (middle) and Martin Schulz

Coalition pressure mounts for Social Democrats

The SPD must ultimately decide whether to agree to a grand coalition or face the consequences of saying "no."
PoliticsFebruary 4, 2018
Angela Merkel, Germany's interim chancellor

Merkel: 'Differences' remain in coalition talks

As a deadline nears for the end of talks outlining a new government's plan, party heads address their differences.
PoliticsFebruary 2, 2018
Angela Merkel reading

Germany split on another Merkel chancellery

A new survey has shown a divided public in Germany on whether Angela Merkel should be chancellor once again.
PoliticsFebruary 1, 2018
Angela Merkel departs the coalition talks in the darkness

German coalition talks stall over refugees

Six hours of top-level talks to forge a German coalition government have stalled over refugee issues but are continuing.
PoliticsJanuary 29, 2018
DW-Studio Berlin

Stammtisch - political chat from Berlin

Join Damien McGuinness, Michaela Küfner, Kate Connolly and Kate Brady for the latest hot political gossip.
PoliticsJanuary 26, 201829:41 min
Martin Schulz

Report: SPD leader Martin Schulz seeking ministerial post

Schulz had repeatedly said he would not serve in a Merkel-led government.
PoliticsJanuary 26, 2018
SPD and CDU banners before Reichstag

Germany's coalition talks: What happens next?

German conservatives and Social Democrats agreed to start coalition talks, but some uncertainty remains.
PoliticsJanuary 26, 2018
SPD party conference vote

German coalition talks: The sticking points

Without progress in Germany's coalition talks between the SPD and conservatives, a new government could be in jeopardy.
PoliticsJanuary 22, 2018
Außerordentlicher SPD-Parteitag Karl Lauterbach

Lauterbach: SPD must drive a hard bargain

Now that the SPD has elected to begin official coalition talks with the CDU/CSU the real work of negotiations begins.
PoliticsJanuary 22, 2018
Außerordentlicher SPD-Parteitag SPD-Fraktionsvorsitzende im Bundestag Andrea Nahles

Andrea Nahles fires up SPD at crunch time

Bundestag deputy Andrea Nahles may have delivered the speech of her life on Sunday; her party's head definitely didn't.
PoliticsJanuary 22, 2018
Martin Schulz

Divided SPD weakened ahead of coalition talks

Germany's Social Democrats have only narrowly voted to start formal coalition talks with Angela Merkel's conservatives.
PoliticsJanuary 21, 2018
Außerordentlicher SPD-Parteitag SPD-Fraktionsvorsitzende im Bundestag Andrea Nahles und SPD-Parteivorsitzender Martin Schulz

An unhappy ending is a bad beginning

The SPD conference has closed with a vote to begin formal coalition talks, but the party divisions make it look weak.
PoliticsJanuary 21, 2018
Andrea Nahles and Martin Schulz

Germany's SPD gives the go-ahead for coalition talks

Delegates from Germany’s SPD have voted in favor of possibly entering another coalition with Merkel’s conservatives.
PoliticsJanuary 21, 2018
SPD Schulz Nahles Scholz

Riven SPD heads for crunch coalition vote

Germany's SPD is about to vote on whether to negotiate another grand coalition with Angela Merkel's conservatives.
PoliticsJanuary 21, 2018
Kevin Kühnert at the SPD party conference

SPD youth leader continues opposition to grand coalition

Meet Kevin Kühnert, the university student who could take down not only his party leader but also the German chancellor.
PoliticsJanuary 18, 2018
Wernigerode Landesparteitag der SPD Sachsen-Anhalt Anti GroKo Button

Prospect of new 'grand coalition' divides SPD

An SPD conference in the state of Saxony-Anhalt has voted against the party's participation in a coalition government.
PoliticsJanuary 13, 2018
Deutsche Welle Strack Christoph Portrait

German coalition talks a reluctant success

Christoph Strack
The CDU/CSU and the SPD can get along. But they don't want to, which makes things so tricky, says DW's Christoph Strack.
PoliticsJanuary 12, 2018
Horst Seehofer, Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz at the Willy-Brandt House in Berlin

Coalition talks 'deal' prompts grumbles, relief

The blueprint for formal coalition negotiations and another Merkel-led grand coalition has run into criticism on detail.
PoliticsJanuary 12, 2018
Coalition talks Merkel and Schulz

Germany's CDU and SPD in initial coalition breakthrough

Germany's two centrist parties have agreed a blueprint of common policies ahead of formal grand coalition negotiations.
PoliticsJanuary 12, 2018
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A new grand coalition for Germany?

Some reports suggest that compromises on energy policy and taxation have been reached.
PoliticsJanuary 9, 201802:10 min
Deutschland Sondierungsgespräche in Berlin Angela Merkel

Merkel optimistic about new coalition for new political era

While exploratory talks have reportedly started well, all leaders agreed the new era requires a new political style.
PoliticsJanuary 8, 2018
Angela Merkel shakes hands with Martin Schulz

Merkel and SPD start preliminary 'grand coalition' talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has returned to the negotiating table, this time with SPD leader Martin Schulz.
PoliticsJanuary 7, 2018
CSU party leader Horst Seehofer with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Bavarian CSU faction leader Alexander Dobrindt at the CSU party conference in Kloster Seeon, Germany

Hungarian PM Orban visits Bavaria's CSU

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has made an appearance at the conference of Bavaria's CDU party.
PoliticsJanuary 5, 2018