When Thomas Kutschaty decided on his political fate on Thursday, it had long been decided. But still: Once again he took the initiative himself – by resigning after two years as chairman of the NRW-SPD. Kuchaty, who also leads the SPD parliamentary group, is likely to be heading towards his political marginalization. As the top candidate for the state elections in 2027, he took this step out of the race. His friends and opponents agree on that.
How is this departure explained? At least not with the recent dispute over the post of general secretary of the NRW-SPD, as it was initially said in many media. He offered more of the trigger or, as a party friend from Kuchaty’s ranks says, the “drop that broke the camel’s back”. On Wednesday, Kutschaty ran into the party presidium with his plan to propose Bonn native Magdalena Möhlenkamp as general secretary. In a highly emotional video conference, the entire presidium refused to follow him: they would not wave this personnel through. Kuchaty was then confronted with the same echo in the state board. The leader of the parliamentary group reacted rigorously: the 54-year-old from Essen scheduled a press conference for the following day – and announced his resignation.
This dispute revealed the deeper causes that led to the foreseeable end of Kutschaty’s career: Long-standing critics from the party regions of Western Westphalia and the Middle Rhine complained to WELT AM SONNTAG that “Comrade Thomas” had gone on an “ego trip” with the Möhlenkamp proposal. The personnel had not been discussed with anyone in advance. Not with the chairmen of the four party regions, not with the presidium. Going it alone was inconsiderate, especially in relation to the Western Westphalia (WW) region. For reasons of party proportional representation, he should have voted the question with “WW”. After all, the region provided the previous Secretary General, whose successor was at stake. And: She also provides about 40 percent of the party congress delegates.
Some comrades found what they had to read on their mobile phones during the meeting not only insensitive, but also offensive: According to several online media, Möhlenkamp’s appointment had already been decided – before the party leaders had even heard her name. “It is unacceptable for journalists to find out before we do who we should propose,” complains a member of the presidency, who does not want to be named, to this newspaper.
The Kuchaty critics see all of this as confirmation of what they have been saying in background talks for a long time: that the NRW-SPD after the defeat in the 2022 state elections needed a united and decisive approach, and all party levels needed to be hooked. What the party got, on the other hand, was “the self-isolation, reluctance to contact and indecisiveness of the party leader”. Kuchaty hardly responded to requests for a meeting, unless they came from his closest circle. He was not ready for clear announcements. He had never had the willingness to conflict to give his party two or three issues on which they should have concentrated. “Instead, he let everyone do what interested them, which resulted in a portfolio of topics that was far too large. We don’t stand for anything, “explains a member of the state executive board to this newspaper.
The dissatisfaction had not escaped Kuchaty. However, as friends describe, he often found them dishonest. For some of his old inner-party opponents, it wasn’t about the hook, but “about Kutschaty’s scalp,” says a companion who, like the other interlocutors, also did not want to be named. It is true that he held back towards these party friends. But only because he suspected what they were up to. It is also not entirely wrong that he recently avoided making conflicting decisions – but only because he knew how much his opponents were “waiting to inflate any conflict”. In this reading, the discussion on Wednesday was the straw that broke the camel’s back not only for his opponents, but above all for Kuchaty himself.
What flared up this week had been smoldering between the chairman and his party aristocrats for a long time – both camps suggest that. In fact, shortly after the state elections in May 2022, there were isolated voices calling for a new start in terms of personnel. No wonder, since Kutschaty had brought in the heaviest defeat in the history of the NRW-SPD with 26.7 percent of the second votes. But unlike the other electoral loser, the FDP, nothing changed in the SPD. While the NRW-FDP exchanged the chairmen of the party and parliamentary group, their head remained in the SPD Kuchaty. He didn’t want to go. And nobody dared to overthrow him. The desire for a moult, a new beginning as a result of the crashing defeat remained unfulfilled. But he didn’t disappear.
This also applies to the opposition that Kuchaty has accumulated in the course of his ascent. Between 2020 and 2021 he fought a feud with the then state chairman Sebastian Hartmann when he applied for his post. In a duel full of hooks and eyes, he prevailed against Hartmann – but also against his central Rhine regional association and the SPD parliamentary group, whose favorite was Hartmann. A reconciliation between the rivals did not materialize. The same applies to the internal party struggle that Kuchaty had previously led: in 2018 he applied to chair the state parliamentary group. He won the vote against Hamm’s current mayor, Marc Herter – and thus against Herter’s influential Westphalian regional association. As well as against the establishment of the NRW-SPD, which had relied on Herter. Since then there has also been no trust between these two.
It is unclear how long Kuchaty will remain at the head of the faction. Around this weekend, he’ll be in touch with the group’s executive and, as one insider says, “make it clear he’s not attached to the post.” The next regular election for the parliamentary group chair would not take place until 2024. Several factions expect the failed frontman to leave office much sooner.
It is also unclear who will succeed him as state chairman. So far, May 6th is the date for the state party conference. The party executive will probably postpone it to give potential interested parties time to warm up. Who knows, maybe a competition will succeed without hooks, eyes and permanent damage.
