Erfurt (dpa/th) – SPD leader Lars Klingbeil still wants Franziska Giffey as governing mayor despite his party’s poor performance in the parliamentary elections in Berlin. Giffey should have the chance to “change things in Berlin” for more than a year, Klingbeil said on Monday at a public meeting in Erfurt.

Regarding the forthcoming formation of a government, he said it was an “exciting situation” that was now developing. No matter which coalition comes, it must “really tackle it now”. “I trust Franziska Giffey, but time will tell what the ideal constellation for Berlin is,” said Klingbeil.

In Berlin, a lot of resentment about politics has accumulated. “The CDU collected it well,” said Klingbeil. The Christian Democrats conducted a “pure protest election campaign” in Berlin – and were thus successful.