What better than Laschet can't happen to us

Berlin. What is changing for the SPD if you lead the largest regional association in North Rhine-Westphalia?

A strong North Rhine-Westphalian SPD will be noticeable in the Federal SPD. I will bring in at the federal level what I cannot regulate at the state level. In the past I have not spared myself to comment on federal political questions. The current welfare state concept of the SPD is the result of a discussion that we have started in North Rhine-Westphalia. That is why I also support the Labor Minister Heil's draft law on the reform of Hartz IV. Unfortunately, the Union blocks any improvement here.

Nationwide, the NRW SPD is particularly known for many conflicts. Do you dare to integrate your opponents?

In the past few days we have managed to achieve a large unit between local, state and federal level. I personally trust to reach an agreement between the party. I also managed to ensure the unit in the faction.

What must the result look like on March 6th so that you can see it as a tailwind?

I already feel a lot of tailwind that gives us all buoyancy. The delegates decide in which percentage this is expressed.

Would you like to run as Prime Minister in 2022?

Yes. I am very grateful and see it as an advantage that we made this decision.

What points do you want to set content?

The corona apandemia has highlighted many forgotten grievances. We need a social restart all over Germany. Anyone who has not been a winner in the education system in the past is now all the more on the losing side in homeschooling. I fight for children to have real promotion opportunities again. That was better in the 1970s and 1980s than today.

Can you formulate a specific request for this?

only an example that is very important to me: If we are so far with the vaccinations that sport can be operated in clubs again, I want all children to receive a voucher for a one-year membership in a sports club. The country should bear the costs. This would be a fair and solidarity contribution to better participation, especially for children whose parents could not afford such membership.

in NRW would cost around 70 million euros. In view of what is still payable for the consequences of pandemic, this is a small sum. That helps the children. But that also helps the clubs. Many of them were faced with economic difficulties.

There are so many other groups that hope that their situation will improve after pandemic.

In any case, we have to miss the pandemic that we are focusing more on social cohesion again. In the world of work, supermarket employees and nurses are in a storm, especially those with particularly low incomes. A saleswoman in the food retail seller earns 1,800 euros gross. We have to find fair wages for these workers.

In the health sector, the appreciation must also be expressed by adequate payment. Further collective agreements must be explained in general. A minimum wage of 12 euros is only a lower limit. We also have to proceed much more intensively against bogus self -employment and chains of subcontractors, as Minister of Labor Heil with his legislation has succeeded in the meat industry. A delivery messenger must also get a permanent workplace from social insurance.

What does the SPD need overall to get out of its 15 percent survey low?

with Olaf Scholz as a candidate for chancellor we are definitely well positioned.

The early nomination has not changed the surveys.

right. We are not satisfied with that. But you also have to see: the high voting numbers of the Union are only connected to the name Angela Merkel. But she won't start again. The SPD, on the other hand, has an experienced Vice Chancellor who was firmly anchored in coronaemy and has also proven internationally that it can cause stability in the crisis.

Even with a Angela Merkel-like competition, Armin Laschet would not have a bad chance.

We can't happen anything better than that Armin Laschet Olaf Scholz will become opponent. Armin Laschet and his confusion in Corona policy cannot be seriously entrusted to the Federal Republic. When he competes against Olaf Scholz, two completely different politicians face each other.

Laschet stands for chaos, inconsistency and unreliability-Scholz for stability, clarity and leadership. Laschet does not implement what he decided with the Chancellor yesterday and announced. We don't need such a back and forth with a chancellor. Many thought Friedrich Merz was the best contrast to Olaf Scholz. But if you take a closer look, it's Armin Laschet.

Do the taxes have to be increased to bring the country back onto the street after the pandemic?

Germany is financially so strong that it can bear the costs of pandemic. Regardless of this, I believe that people with very high incomes from 200,000 euros per year and very rich have to contribute to the financing of public tasks. The main tax load bears the income layer. The first step in the right direction was taken, with higher incomes still paying the solidarity surcharge. And we have to ensure that the winners of the pandemic like Amazon in Germany pay taxes at all.

What do you think of the debate about vaccination privileges? Are you for that?

The debate comes at the wrong time. As long as we cannot submit a vaccination offer to everyone, I think this discussion is premature. However, if a large number of people refuse to be vaccinated, this cannot mean that the others who are vaccinated are still subject to restrictions. That would completely lack solidarity. Then you can also discuss the fact that the restrictions for vaccinated people have to be canceled.

Should these masks be distributed to Hartz IV recipients free of charge in view of the new obligation to carry medical or FFP2 masks in public transport?

Not only for Hartz IV recipients! Medical masks and FFP2 masks should be made available to the entire population free of charge. The masks are one of the most effective measures against pandemic, they have the least impact on bourgeois freedoms and costs for the state. That is why we applied for 500 million euros to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia last week. Unfortunately, the CDU and the FDP rejected this without giving reasons.

Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil wants to subsidize masks for the needy. Is that the right way?

First of all, there is no question that this is the right approach. The burden, especially for families in need, has increased enormously as a result of pandemic. For many, for example, free lunch at school is currently falling away, and the expenses for hygiene and protection items are also coming to the office. However, it is important to me that we also think of those who do not receive fundamental social security, but still live just above the subsistence level. This could be solved, for example, with a subsidy for child benefit or basic pension.