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The Left (Germany)

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Template:Infobox German Political Party

The Left (Template:Lang-de), commonly referred to as the Left Party (Linkspartei), is a socialist political party in Germany. It is one of six political parties represented in the Bundestag.

The party was founded on June 16, 2007, as a merger of Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) the Labor and Social Justice Electoral Alternative (WASG). Its leaders are Lothar Bisky and Oskar Lafontaine. The party positions itself to the left of the other established political parties.

According to official party figures, the Left Party has 76,139 registered members as of September 30, 2008.[1] The party's parliamentary fraction includes 54 deputies, making it the fourth largest party in the Bundestag. According to most recent polls, it is now the third most popular party in Germany.[2]

Internationally the Left is a member of the Party of the European Left, and it is the largest party in the GUE/NGL fraction of the European Parliament.

History

The mass protests that forced the dismissal of East German head of state Erich Honecker in 1989 also empowered a younger generation of reform politicians in East Germany's ruling Socialist Unity Party who looked to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika as their model for political change. Reformers like authors Stefan Heym and Christa Wolf and attorney Gregor Gysi, dissidents like Rudolf Bahro, soon began to reconstruct the political profile of the party. By the end of 1989 the last hardline members of the party's Central Committee had resigned, followed in 1990 by 95% of the SED's 2.3 million members.

The rump of the SED that remained was renamed as the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) at a special party congress in December 1989, to distance the reformed party from its communist past. Gregor Gysi became the new leader of the party. Initially, the party was known by the combination initials SED-PDS; this practice was dropped on 4 February 1990, after which the party was known solely as the PDS. By early 1990, the PDS was no longer a Marxist-Leninist party, though neo-marxist and communist minority factions continued to exist. On 18 March 1990, the PDS lost significant influence in the first free elections in GDR history; the Alliance for Germany coalition, led by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), won the election.

Up to 2005

In the first all-German Bundestag elections in 1990, the PDS won only 2.4% of the nationwide vote, but under a one-time exception to Germany's electoral law entered the Bundestag with 17 deputies led by Gregor Gysi. In the 1994 election, in spite of an aggressive anti-communist "Red Socks" campaign organised against the PDS by the then-ruling Christian Democrats aimed at scaring off voters, the PDS managed to increase its vote to 4.4 percent, winning a plurality in four eastern electoral districts, and re-entered the Bundestag with an enlarged caucus of 30 deputies. In 1998, the party reached the high-water mark in its fortunes by electing 37 deputies with 5.1% of the national vote, thus clearing the critical 5% threshold required for guaranteed proportional representation and full parliamentary status. The party's future seemed bright, but it suffered from a number of weaknesses, not the least of which was its dependence on Mr Gysi, considered by supporters and critics alike as a super-star in German politics who stood in stark contrast to a colorless general membership. Gysi's resignation in 2000 after losing a policy debate with party leftists soon spelled trouble for the PDS. In the 2002 election, the vote sank to 4.0%, and the party was able to seat only two back-benchers elected directly from their districts, Petra Pau and Gesine Lötzsch.

After the 2002 debacle, the PDS adopted a new program and re-installed a respected moderate, long-time Gysi ally Lothar Bisky, as chairman. A renewed sense of self-confidence soon re-energized the party. In the 2004 elections to the European Parliament, the PDS won 6.1% of the vote nationwide, its highest total at that time in a federal election. Its electoral base in the eastern German states continued to grow, where today it ranks with the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats as one of the region's three strong parties. However, low membership and voter support in Germany's western states continued to plague the party until it formed an electoral alliance in July 2005 with the newly-formed Electoral Alternative for Labor and Social Justice (WASG), a leftist faction largely consisting of dissident Social Democrats and trade unionists.

Alliance with the WASG

After marathon negotiations, the PDS and WASG agreed on terms for a combined ticket to compete in the 2005 federal elections and pledged to unify into a single left party in 2006 or 2007. According to the pact, the parties did not compete against each another in any district. Instead, WASG candidates—including the former Social Democratic leader, Oskar Lafontaine—were nominated on the PDS electoral list. To symbolize the new relationship, the PDS changed its name to The Left Party/PDS, with the letters "PDS" optional in western states where many voters still regarded the PDS as an "eastern" party with personal and ideological links to the SED regime.

The alliance provided a strong electoral base in the east and benefited from WASG's growing voter potential in the west. Gregor Gysi, returning to public life only months after brain surgery and two heart attacks, shared the spotlight with Lafontaine as co-leader of the party's energetic and professional campaign. Both politicians will co-chair the Left's caucus in the German Bundestag after the election.

Polls early in the summer showed the unified Left list on a "high-altitude flight," winning as much as 12 percent of the vote, and for a time it seemed possible the party would surge past the established German Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party and become the third-strongest force in the Bundestag. Alarmed by the Left's unexpected rise in the polls, Germany's mainstream politicians hit back at Lafontaine and Gysi as "left populists" and "demagogues" and accused the party of flirting with neo-Nazi voters. A gaffe by Lafontaine, who described "foreign workers" as a threat in one speech early in the campaign, provided ammunition for charges that the Left was attempting to exploit German xenophobia and voters from the far right.

Despite this enmity, in the 2005 elections the Left Party received 8.7% of the nationwide vote and won 54 seats in the new German Bundestag. The process towards unification between Left Party.PDS and WASG went on until 2007. On 27 March of that year, both parties decided in favour of a united party. The founding party congress took place on 16 June.

Shortly before the unification, the Left Party/PDS had already entered the Bürgerschaft of Bremen and was thus being represented in a state legislature of former West Germany - something it had never accomplished as PDS. In the first months of 2008, more electoral successes followed for The Left, which entered the state parliaments of Lower Saxony and Hessen and the senate of Hamburg.

Policies

The Left aims for democratic socialism. In accordance to Marxist tradition, the capitalist system of Germany is questioned, as are current neoliberal concepts and their aim is the overcoming of capitalism. [3] As a platform of left politics in the wake of globalization, The Left includes many different factions, ranging from communists to left-leaning social democrats.

As of December 2007, The Left hasn't yet adopted its own party program. This is planned for 2008. In March 2007, during the joint party congress of Left Party and WASG, a document outlining political principles was agreed on. In labour market and fiscal policies, those include solidarity and more co-determination for workers, redistribution of wealth through different means (including tax increases for corporations and big companies), the end of privatization and the introduction of a minimum wage.

Concerning international politics, The Left welcomes the European Process towards integration, while opposing all forms of militarism rising in the current political climate and the market-oriented policies of the European Union. The party strives for the democratization of the EU institutions and a stronger role of the United Nations in international politics.

Elections and support

Through previous elections that the PDS contested, the Left Party holds seats in the state parliaments of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.

In the May 2007 Bremen state election, seven party members were elected to the state parliament. This was the first breakthrough for the PDS-WASG in a former West German state.[4] The new Left Party continued to make gains in the western states following the January 2008 state elections in Lower Saxony and Hesse, as well as the February 2008 Hamburg state election.

As a result of the Hesse election results, state SPD leader Andrea Ypsilanti sought to form a minority government with the Greens, which would require the external support of the Left deputies. This would have been the first time that the Left formed any alliance with a government in a western state. The SPD and Left state parties ratified agreements for such an alliance. However, the move was controversial, since Ypsilanti had promised during the election not to work the Left Party. After months of debates and negotiations, the proposed government was scheduled to be brought to a vote in the Hessen Lantag on November 4, 2008. One the eve of the vote, four SPD deputies broke with party discipline and declared they would vote against Ypsilanti, effectively ending the possibility of a minority government.[5] As a result, new elections will likely take place in January 2009. Ypsilanti stepped down as the SPD's chief candidate, and she has been replaced by party deputy Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel.[6][7]

The Left contested an election in Bavaria for the first time in the September 2008 Bavaria state election. It garnered 4.3 percent of the vote, which was just short of the 5 percent necessary to win seats in the Landtag.

In the Saarland, Oskar Lafontaine's home state, the Left Party has out-polled all other parties with 24 percent support. This is a first for the party in the west. Saarland will hold its next state election in August 2009.[8]

Ahead of the 2009 federal elections, the Left has approximately 12-15 percent support nationally, according to most polls.[2][9]

In October 2008 the Left Party nominated Tatort actor and activist Peter Sodann as their candidate for the 2009 presidential election.[10] Since the German president is chosen by the Bundesversammlung, consisting of all members of the Bundestag and an equal number of Bundesrat-selected delegates, it is very unlikely that Sodann will win.

Currents and tendencies

The Left Party has a number of internal caucuses, most often referred to as platforms or forums.

Anticapitalist Left

The Anticapitalist Left (Antikapitalistische Linke) represents those critical of participation in coalition governments. They believe that government participation or support should be dependent on a set of minimum demands (including no privatizations, no war funding, and no cuts in social spending). As its name suggests, the group seeks to position the party firmly against any form of capitalism. Prominent representatives of this group are Sahra Wagenknecht, Tobias Pflüger, Cornelia Hirsch und Ulla Jelpke.

Communist Platform

The Communist Platform (Kommunistische Plattform, KPF) was originally formed as a tendency of the PDS. It is less critical of German Democratic Republic than other groupings, and it promotes orthodox Marxist positions in debates. Its primary leader is Sahra Wagenknecht.

Democratic Socialist Forum

The Democratic Socialist Forum (Forum demokratischer Sozialismus) is a democratic socialist faction that was originally part of the PDS. It supports continued participation in the state governments of Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is closest to the Reform Left Network.

Emancipatory Left

The Emancipitory Left (Emanzipatorische Linke, Ema.Li) is a current that endorses libertarian socialist principles. It backs a decentralized society and support social movements. One of Ema.Li's primary spokespersons is Katja Kipping, and most of its conveners are from the Saxony branch of the party.

Reform Left Network

The Reform Left Network (Netzwerk Reformlinke) was originally formed in 2003 as a tendency in the PDS. It promotes social democratic positions and supports cooperation with the SPD and the Greens. A prominent member of the network is Petra Pau.

Socialist Left

The Socialist Left (Sozialistische Linke) was formed in August 2006 and includes left socialists and reform communists. The group seeks to orient the party toward the labor movement. Many leaders of the Socialist Left were former members of the WASG. Socialist Left sympathizes with the Dutch Socialist Party and the Italian Communist Refoundation Party.

In addition to the main platforms, a number of small far-left groups have joined the Left Party since its formation. These include Linksruck (liquidated, now known as Marx21). Other groups, such as the German Communist Party and the Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany, have formed local alliances with the Left but have not joined the party.

References

  1. ^ "Mitgliederzahlen September 2008" Die Linke website.
  2. ^ a b "Linkspartei im Aufwind," Der Spiegel (16 October 2008).
  3. ^ "Our alternative: Social, democratic and peacemaking reforms to overcome capitalizm" Programmatic Points, part III
  4. ^ "Germany after the Bremen election," The Economist (17 May 2007).
  5. ^ "A mess in Hesse," The Economist (6 November 2008).
  6. ^ "Ypsilanti verzichtet auf Spitzenkandidatur," Der Spiegel (8 November 2008).
  7. ^ Christian Teevs, "Hessens Grüne schwenken auf Anti-CDU-Kurs," Der Spiegel (12 November 2008).
  8. ^ "Linkspartei überholt SPD erstmals im Westen," Der Spiegel (3 September 2008).
  9. ^ "SPD stürzt auf 20 Prozent," Der Spiegel (4 June 2008).
  10. ^ "Peter Sodann wäre ein Bundespräsident des Volkes," statement by Bisky, Gysi and Lafontaine (14 October 2008).
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