Petra Köpping leads the state list of the Saxon SPD for the state parliamentary elections

As expected, Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) is to head the Saxon SPD's state list for the state elections on September 1. According to a proposal by SPD leadership duo Kathrin Michel and Henning Homann announced on Tuesday, the following places are also occupied by familiar faces.

Homann is in second place, followed by Sophie Koch, Economics Minister Martin Dulig, state parliament member Juliane Pfeil and SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Panter. Simona Lang and Albrecht Pallas, also current members of the state parliament, take 7th and 8th place. Only the former Dresden Jusos leader Sophie Koch would be a new member of parliament if successfully elected.

The state executive committee will discuss the party leadership's proposal on Friday. On Saturday, the 80 delegates will vote on the list at the state election conference in Frankenberg.

A few familiar names are missing. SPD education politician Sabine Friedel and political scientist Hanka Kliese - both of whom are currently deputy parliamentary group leaders - will not be standing again. Volkmar Winkler is retiring due to his age. MP Frank Richter is only running for a direct mandate.

The Saxon SPD currently forms the government in the Free State together with the CDU and the Greens. However, the trio does not currently have a majority in current polls. In the 2019 state election, the Social Democrats received 7.7% of the second votes in Saxony. In opinion polls, they are currently usually polling around seven percent.