How democratic is the new left? (In Germany)

International Herald Tribune ^ | September 4, 2005 | Axel Gelfert

[RWR8189]

Shortly after Gerhard Schröder first became German chancellor in 1998, the British tabloid press declared his longtime rival and then finance minister Oskar Lafontaine "the most dangerous man in Europe." At the time, this seemed a ludicrous judgment - not least because it was quickly proved wrong by Lafontaine himself, who resigned only weeks afterward in what is generally regarded one of the more embarrassing cop-outs in postwar German politics.

Now, almost seven years later, Lafontaine, who was the first former leader to be threatened with expulsion from the Social Democractic Party (SPD) for delivering a series of public diatribes against his own party, has joined forces with the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS, the former East German Communists) and other leftist groups, and looks set to win a sizable share of the vote in the national elections scheduled for Sept. 18.

An embittered ex-politician's attempt to stage a political comeback with a scratch alliance of left wingers, ex-Communists and globalization critics may not be all that unusual, given the current political climate across much of Europe, but there are a number of reasons that make the success of Lafontaine's Left Party (Linkspartei) especially worrisome.

For one, there is the size and scope of the movement. In Britain, the antigovernment member of Parliament George Galloway succeeded by running almost exclusively on an anti-Iraq-war platform, winning a narrow relative majority in a largely Muslim constituency. By contrast, the Lafontaine-led Left Party's agenda is much broader, exploiting widespread disappointment in the former East Germany and western German fears of economic impoverishment due to rising high-level unemployment.

[untenured]

That is discouraging reading. I didn't realize Lafontaine was so popular among the (sizable) disgruntled segment of the German electorate, nor that he is so aggressively anti-foreigner.

The conventional political options in Germany, as in much of Europe, are being strangled by expanding welfare-state burdens and aging populations, so maybe it's not too surprising that they would turn to such a dangerous man.

[Archon of the East]

Just goes to show you that things could be worse. The ultimate problem though as I see it is that if Communism and leftist ideology take hold worldwide then we will inevitably be sucked leftward in our wonderful global economy. Of course they already have to a large degree.

[pierrem15]

"Die Fahne hoch, die Reihen fest geschlossen,
SA marschiert, mit ruhig festem Schritt,..."

Lafontaine: the Red-Brown coalition rides again.

[hombre_sincero]

DEMOCRACY is the definition of COMMUNISM

So how democratic is the new left? Yep - they're full blown commie bastards still!

[wolf78]

"That is discouraging reading. I didn't realize Lafontaine was so popular among the (sizable) disgruntled segment of the German electorate, nor that he is so aggressively anti-foreigner."

Actually, the data presented in the article is somewhat outdated. The poll numbers of the new "Left Party" (aka. SED, aka. PDS, aka. Neo-Communists) have waned to 8% (which is still to much).

Plus: There reason for hope that Lafontaine might be able to wreck the new left the same way he damaged the SPD, his former party. He already pissed off many of the old communists at the PDS with his speech at a party convention, which went more or less like this:

"It is a great day for socialism in Germany, because I have descended to join your ranks...."

Compared to Lafontaine's ego, Napoleon seems like Mother Teresa. And while it is possible that the PDS might re-enter the Bundestag with 7 or 8% of the votes, we have every reason to believe that the PDS will use this platform mainly to self-destruct.

Already now, the "new left" is falling apart, and the elections are still two weeks off.

[McGavin999]

Oh great! Just what we need. Will somone please contact the Israelies and ask them for a set of blueprints for building that giant wall? I think we're going to need it because it looks like we're going to want to keep everyone out.

[Milwaukeeprophet]

The Germans know that they are irrelevant.They will become only more so.Demoralized,poor, old and irrelevant.They will become either socilist-communist or nazis.Most capable to leave Germany will do so.

[Schweinhund]

Yeah, its depressing. 3rd in Exports but only 5th in GDP. I think i'll vote for the Gay Nazi Commie party, we need a war to get out of this mess. /s