Social Democratic Party of Germany

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linked Scholz (not mentioned before)

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The SPD was founded in 1875 from a merger of smaller socialist parties, and grew rapidly after the lifting of Germany's repressive [[Anti-Socialist Laws]] in 1890 to become the largest socialist party in Western Europe until 1933. In 1891, it adopted its [[Marxist]]-influenced [[Erfurt Program]], though in practice it was moderate and focused on building working-class organizations. In the [[1912 German federal election|1912 federal election]], the SPD won 34.8 percent of votes and became the largest party in the [[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]], but was still excluded from government. After the start of the [[First World War]] in 1914, the party split between a pro-war [[Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany|mainstream]] and the anti-war [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democratic Party]], some members of which later formed the [[Communist Party of Germany]] (KPD). The SPD played a leading role in the [[German Revolution of 1918–1919|German revolution of 1918–1919]] and in the foundation of the [[Weimar Republic]]. The SPD politician [[Friedrich Ebert]] served as the first [[president of Germany]] from 1919 to 1925.
The SPD was founded in 1875 from a merger of smaller socialist parties, and grew rapidly after the lifting of Germany's repressive [[Anti-Socialist Laws]] in 1890 to become the largest socialist party in Western Europe until 1933. In 1891, it adopted its [[Marxist]]-influenced [[Erfurt Program]], though in practice it was moderate and focused on building working-class organizations. In the [[1912 German federal election|1912 federal election]], the SPD won 34.8 percent of votes and became the largest party in the [[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]], but was still excluded from government. After the start of the [[First World War]] in 1914, the party split between a pro-war [[Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany|mainstream]] and the anti-war [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democratic Party]], some members of which later formed the [[Communist Party of Germany]] (KPD). The SPD played a leading role in the [[German Revolution of 1918–1919|German revolution of 1918–1919]] and in the foundation of the [[Weimar Republic]]. The SPD politician [[Friedrich Ebert]] served as the first [[president of Germany]] from 1919 to 1925.


After the rise of the [[Nazi Party]] to power, the SPD was the only party in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] which voted against the [[Enabling Act of 1933]]; the SPD was subsequently banned, and operated in exile as the [[Sopade]]. After the [[Second World War]] from 1939 to 1945, the SPD was re-established. In the [[Soviet occupation zone in Germany|Soviet occupation zone]], it [[Merger of the KPD and SPD|was forced to merge with the KPD]] to form the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]]. In [[West Germany]], the SPD became one of two major parties alongside the [[CDU/CSU]]. In its [[Godesberg Program]] of 1959, the SPD dropped its commitment to Marxism, becoming a [[big tent]] party of the centre-left. The SPD led the federal government from 1969 to 1982 (under [[Willy Brandt]] and [[Helmut Schmidt]]), 1998 to 2005 (under [[Gerhard Schröder]]) and again from 2021 to 2025 under Scholz. It served as a junior partner to a CDU/CSU-led government from 1966 to 1969, 2005 to 2009, 2013 to 2021 and again since 2025.
After the rise of the [[Nazi Party]] to power, the SPD was the only party in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] which voted against the [[Enabling Act of 1933]]; the SPD was subsequently banned, and operated in exile as the [[Sopade]]. After the [[Second World War]] from 1939 to 1945, the SPD was re-established. In the [[Soviet occupation zone in Germany|Soviet occupation zone]], it [[Merger of the KPD and SPD|was forced to merge with the KPD]] to form the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]]. In [[West Germany]], the SPD became one of two major parties alongside the [[CDU/CSU]]. In its [[Godesberg Program]] of 1959, the SPD dropped its commitment to Marxism, becoming a [[big tent]] party of the centre-left. The SPD led the federal government from 1969 to 1982 (under [[Willy Brandt]] and [[Helmut Schmidt]]), 1998 to 2005 (under [[Gerhard Schröder]]) and again from 2021 to 2025 under [[Olaf Scholz]]. It served as a junior partner to a CDU/CSU-led government from 1966 to 1969, 2005 to 2009, 2013 to 2021 and again since 2025.


The SPD holds [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] stances and is a member of the [[Party of European Socialists]] and sits with the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]] group in the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-parties-plan-for-eu-in-election-campaign/ |title=Where German parties stand on Europe |date=28 August 2017 |publisher=Politico |website=politico.eu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Buck |first1=Tobias |date=16 May 2019 |title=Germany's SPD targets voters' emotions with EU poll campaign |newspaper=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/53e3adfe-76fb-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/53e3adfe-76fb-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> With 14 [[MEPs]], it is the third largest party in the group. The SPD was a founding member of the [[Socialist International]], but the party left in 2013 after criticising its acceptance of parties they consider to be violating human rights.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 January 2012 |title=SPD will Sozialistischer Internationale den Geldhahn zudrehen und den Mitgliedsbeitrag nicht zahlen |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/vorab/a-810543.html |access-date=28 September 2021 |issn=2195-1349}}</ref> The SPD subsequently founded the [[Progressive Alliance]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/progressive-alliance-sozialdemokraten-gruenden-weltweites-netzwerk-a-901352.html |title=Progressive Alliance: Sozialdemokraten gründen weltweites Netzwerk |date=22 May 2013 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |location=Hamburg, Germany |access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/sozialdemokratie-progressive-alliance-gegruendet-12191286.html |title=Sozialdemokratie: "Progressive Alliance" gegründet |date=22 May 2013 |work=[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]] |access-date=10 May 2015 |last1=Sattar |first1=Majid}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-tv.de/politik/SPD-gruendet-Progressive-Alliance-article10689571.html |title=Sozialistische Internationale hat ausgedient: SPD gründet "Progressive Alliance" |date=22 May 2013 |access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref> and was joined by numerous other parties around the world. Previously, the SPD was a founding member of both the [[Second International]] and the [[Labour and Socialist International]].
The SPD holds [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] stances and is a member of the [[Party of European Socialists]] and sits with the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]] group in the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-parties-plan-for-eu-in-election-campaign/ |title=Where German parties stand on Europe |date=28 August 2017 |publisher=Politico |website=politico.eu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Buck |first1=Tobias |date=16 May 2019 |title=Germany's SPD targets voters' emotions with EU poll campaign |newspaper=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/53e3adfe-76fb-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/53e3adfe-76fb-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> With 14 [[MEPs]], it is the third largest party in the group. The SPD was a founding member of the [[Socialist International]], but the party left in 2013 after criticising its acceptance of parties they consider to be violating human rights.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 January 2012 |title=SPD will Sozialistischer Internationale den Geldhahn zudrehen und den Mitgliedsbeitrag nicht zahlen |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/vorab/a-810543.html |access-date=28 September 2021 |issn=2195-1349}}</ref> The SPD subsequently founded the [[Progressive Alliance]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/progressive-alliance-sozialdemokraten-gruenden-weltweites-netzwerk-a-901352.html |title=Progressive Alliance: Sozialdemokraten gründen weltweites Netzwerk |date=22 May 2013 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |location=Hamburg, Germany |access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/sozialdemokratie-progressive-alliance-gegruendet-12191286.html |title=Sozialdemokratie: "Progressive Alliance" gegründet |date=22 May 2013 |work=[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]] |access-date=10 May 2015 |last1=Sattar |first1=Majid}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-tv.de/politik/SPD-gruendet-Progressive-Alliance-article10689571.html |title=Sozialistische Internationale hat ausgedient: SPD gründet "Progressive Alliance" |date=22 May 2013 |access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref> and was joined by numerous other parties around the world. Previously, the SPD was a founding member of both the [[Second International]] and the [[Labour and Socialist International]].
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