Mr Kutschaty, in 2019 you were one of those Social Democrats who fought against Olaf Scholz as SPD federal chairman.

Now he is Federal Chancellor.

Do you regret the decision you made back then?

Pure burger

Political correspondent in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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I did not fight against Olaf Scholz.

I campaigned for Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans to become party leaders.

It worked.

The party could not have made a smarter decision.

It was just as wise of the two to propose Olaf Scholz as candidate for chancellor.

I am at peace with myself and very satisfied.

Are you counting on a boost from Scholz for the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia in mid-May?

The victory in the federal election gives the SPD wings.

You have to reckon with us - no matter whether in the federal government, no matter whether 2022 in Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein or in May in North Rhine-Westphalia.

It is now also a matter of organizing majorities in the Federal Council for the new federal government with traffic lights.

Do you also use a traffic light in Düsseldorf according to the motto “federal and state, hand in hand”?

I want the SPD to become the strongest parliamentary group so that we can lay claim to the formation of a government.

At the coalition negotiations in Berlin I was allowed to lead the working group “Modern State, Democracy, Planning and Approval Acceleration” for the SPD.

I have had very good experiences with both the Greens and the FDP, and a lot of trust has grown.

We have to get out of this block thinking.

It cannot be that we only think in black and yellow on the one hand and red and green on the other.

In any case, I could well imagine a traffic light in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In any case, you don't seem to really believe in a red-green majority like the one you used to do in North Rhine-Westphalia, as often and as intensely as you flatter the FDP in almost every speech you make ...

I'm not the one who says: I'd prefer red-green, and if that's not enough, I'll add the FDP.

That would not be a good basis of trust for a coalition.

No partner should have the feeling that they are the fifth wheel on the car.

Would the Left Party, such as in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Berlin, also be an option as a coalition partner?

In all polls over the past few months and years, the left has remained below five percent.

So that's not a serious option for me.

And when I think of Sahra Wagenknecht's corona gossip, I see a lot that separates us.

Olaf Scholz was also able to address middle-class voters, albeit at a low level.

You, on the other hand, have so far stood for a decidedly left-wing course.

Are you working on an image correction?

I don't need to correct my image.

I am a very pragmatic social democrat who knows what is feasible and what makes sense.

If you think it is left to demand a minimum wage of twelve euros or new investments in publicly subsidized housing, then that's fine with me.

Olaf Scholz wants that too.

It's about: Do we want progressive politics that are socially just, ecological and sustainable, or do we want to muddle along with something the Union wants?