BRANDENBURG, Germany - Matias Papendieck, a Social Democratic Party (SPD) member of the German parliament, is running for re-election on a pro-immigration platform and a pledge to raise the minimum wage to 15 euros per hour.
Papendieck represents Oder-Spree, a district in the German state of Brandenburg, in the federal parliament, which is called Bundestag. In his personal blog, he identified the following as topics that are “particularly close to [his] heart”: good pensions, fair wages, and affordable housing.
The SPD candidate has played a role in establishing several factories in his region, including chipboard and steel plants. He said that people from various places, including Kurds, frequently visit his office seeking employment.
Speaking to Rudaw on Friday, Papendieck expressed his support for immigration.
“We need more people to work in hospitals, factories, and public transportation,” he said.
He warned that the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party that pushes for anti-immigrant policies, might be the “biggest winner” in Sunday’s vote and said that the ruling SPD’s popularity is in decline.
As Germany prepares for its upcoming parliamentary elections on Sunday February 23, many voters, including Kurds, are weighing their options amid rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and rising cost of living. In an interview with Rudaw on Thursday, another SPD candidate who is of Kurdish origins also warned against the rise of far-right parties, calling them “fascist” whose aim is to “destroy democracy here.”
