BERLIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The German satirist Jan Boehmermann announced on Friday that he had already received support from four of the five necessary German Social Democrat (SPD) sub-districts for his application for chairmanship of the party.
Boehmermann broke the news during his television show Neo Magazin Royale on Thursday evening and announced that he "would like to become chairman of the Social Democratic Party Germany".
The formal requirement for a candidacy as party leader is to gain the support of at least five of the party's 393 sub-districts or the support of one district or one regional association.
In response to Boehmermann announcement, Germany's co-governing social democratic party (SPD) noted that the German satirist could only be admitted at his place of residence.
Josef Wirges, the social democratic district mayor of Ehrenfeld where Boehmermann lives, ruled out admitting Boehmermann for SPD presidency.
"The man has no experience. He should concentrate on what he is doing, on his TV show, which is a lot of fun for him," stated Ehrenfeld district mayor.
If Boehmermann wanted to become chairman of the SPD, he first needed to become a member of the party Wirges told the German press agency (dpa) on Friday.
"The gentleman can do what he wants, but we will not take him in," said Wirges, noting that although the Boehmermann lived in Ehrenfeld, the whole action was only for the purpose of "putting on a little show".
However¸ the TV presenter said that Germans had all assured him of their support during what he called a "citizens' consultation hour".
When asked how serious he was about the candidacy, the satirist said that "whether this is satire or not will be decided on Sunday at 6 p.m."
If he was allowed to run for the position, Boehmermann noted that he would not quit the process. The application deadline for the succession of Andrea Nahles as SPD party leader will expire on Sunday.
According to a German social democrat spokesperson, the party's election committee had so far recorded five candidate duos, including Germany's Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz and member of the SPD executive committee Klara Geywitz.
Since the resignation of Nahles, the position at the top of the SPD had been vacant and the party is currently being led provisionally and jointly by Thorsten Schaefer-Guembel, Malu Dreyer and Manuela Schwesig until a new leadership team is elected.
The process of electing a successor for the German social democrats will be formally concluded at a party conference in Berlin at the beginning of December.
