Political Sclerosis

The Social Democrats in Germany. A once proud and powerful party. It has contributed considerably to Germany's present position and reputation in the world. Not just Willy Brandt's "Ostpolitik" and Helmut Schmidt's loyalty to NATO are strong "wins" in the SPD's record.
Since Gerhard Schröder took over the chancellory and also the party leadership, things have begun to deteriorate.
His "HARTZ IV"-reforms of the social welfare system have alienated the party from it's once hailed chief. Schröder threw the party leadership away in 2003. Since then the SPD has seen three other leaders! What a pityful state of sclerosis for this once dominating powerhouse in German politics. The present leader Kurt Beck was known to most Germans as "problem-bear" for his poor performance in managing political issues. Only the fact that no-one else was prepared or powerful enough to rund for leader saved him from political oblivion.
Whereas Beck has since then started to get rid of a couple of possible contenders, the sclerotic process of the SPD continues to progress: Wolfgang Clement, who was deputy leader of the SPD until last October, Prime Minister of the former SPD-stronghold state of North-Rhine-Westpahlia and "Super-Minister" for Economics and Labour in Gerhard Schröder's cabinet, is the most recent protagonist to attract calls for a stripping of the SPD-membership.
Like Schröder, he has has been hired as a consultant and lobbyist, for the RWE AG in his case.
Unlike Schröder however, he has failed to secure himself the backing of the party in due time by hitting the political opponent squarely in face. Clement has only issued a strong warning against the course of the SPD-leader in the state of Hesse, Andrea Ypsilanti, who's political agenda in favour of regenerative power sources would put the "industrial basis of Hesse in jeopardy".
When asked to comment on this, Beck did not focus on Clement's warning, which many think is correct, but on his function as "a paid lobbyist for the nuclear industry".