Merkel’s party currently holds lead of 15 percentage points

Social Democrat chief Martin Schulz lashed out Sunday at German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accusing her of “arrogance” as he sought to reverse his party’s plunging popularity three months before general elections.

Mr. Schulz’s decision to take his party’s reins initially had jolted the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to life, but the trend has reversed.

With weeks to go before Germany heads to the polls on September 24, the SPD is trailing Ms. Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) by 15 percentage points, according to a survey published on Sunday by Bild am Sonntag.

Mr. Schulz was in a combative mood at Sunday’s special congress gathering party rank-and-file to approve their campaign programme, with harsh words for Ms. Merkel whom he accused of “systematically refusing debate on the future of the country”.

Ms. Merkel’s tactic, he said, was to hold off on airing her views rather than engage, thereby making the people lose interest in politics. While the SPD takes position on issues, “the other side is silent”, said Mr. Schulz. “That’s what one calls in circles in Berlin asymmetric demobilisation. I call it an attack against democracy,” charged Mr. Schulz, whose party is a junior partner of Ms. Merkel’s grand right-left coalition. “The biggest danger is the arrogance of power.”

Social justice

Mr. Schulz underlined his party’s push for “social justice”, with higher taxes for big earners and free schooling for all.

He also laid down gay marriage as a condition for any future coalition involving the SPD. “I will sign no coalition deal in which marriage for all is not inscribed,” said the 61-year-old former European Parliament chief, who was rewarded with 10 minutes of applause for his 90-minute speech. The SPD’s call for gay marriage comes just a week after the Greens set a similar condition, putting pressure on Ms. Merkel’s CDU, which has so far refused to allow same gender couples to wed. The SPD will be hoping its campaign programme will help it regain ground, but Mr. Schulz himself has warned of a “rocky road” ahead after his party suffered heavy losses in three straight state elections viewed as dress rehearsals ahead of the September vote.

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder too sought to boost morale, telling the congress on Sunday that “there is still time to turn the tide”. Many voters wait until the last minute before making up their minds, he said, adding “that is our chance”.