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The announcement of the results of the consultation of the members of the SPD on the new presidency of the party, Saturday, October 26, in Berlin. REUTERS / Annegret Hilse

The 430,000 members of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) were called to the polls to designate their new leadership that will be formed in the future of a man / woman duo. Six "couples" were in the running for the first round. 53% of the members participated. The results were presented this Saturday night.

With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibaut

It has been nearly four months since the SPD has an interim leadership. And at six weeks of the party congress that must name the duo that will lead the Social Democrats, the vagueness remains.

Six male / female couples competed for the first round. And no clear favorite is racing in the lead. Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz with Klara Geywitz gets 22% of the votes cast and just ahead of Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken.

These two duos qualify for the second round. As for the first one, conferences will be organized, to which the members of the party will be invited before making their choice in the second half of November. The party congress will induct the winners in early December.

This crumbling voice reflects the difficult situation of a party that has used many leaders in recent years and languishing in polls around 15%. The second round will pit two visions for the future of the SPD.

Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the right wing of the SPD defends the grand coalition. His challengers advocate a turn to the left and criticize the alliance with the conservatives or want to leave. At the moment when the grand coalition will present its mid-term review, the vote of the SPD members will also be a vote on the future of the German government.