Pistorius rules out SPD leadership changes amid party setbacks, while environmental groups challenge major carmakers in court.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has rejected speculation about a leadership change in Germany's center-left Social Democrats (SPD) after the party lost a state election in Rhineland-Palatinate, where it had led coalitions for 35 years.
Pistorius, speaking during a visit to Tokyo, described the election result as "very poor" and stressed that the SPD should prioritize government work amid global challenges, rather than engage in internal debates.
In the Rhineland-Palatinate election, the SPD was overtaken by Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats, marking a significant setback for the party.
SPD Faces Additional Losses
The SPD also lost the mayoral election in Munich, where the Greens defeated the party's long-time incumbent, compounding the party's difficulties.
Separately, Germany's Federal Court of Justice is set to rule on climate lawsuits filed by environmental group DUH against BMW and Mercedes-Benz, seeking to ban new combustion-engine car sales from November 2030.
The lawsuits argue that the carmakers should face stronger climate obligations beyond current regulations, drawing on a 2021 Constitutional Court ruling that mandated enhanced climate protections.
Lower courts in Munich and Stuttgart previously rejected the cases, but the Federal Court will determine if civil actions can hold major emitters accountable.
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