Left-wing Die Linke announces party platform for 2021 elections

Germany’s Die Linke (“The Left”) party announced the platform they will be running on in this year’s elections for the Bundestag, the German parliament. Having always been in opposition, a clear change is noticeable as incumbent party chairpersons Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger clearly signal that Die Linke is prepared to accept a role in government as part of a future coalition. In the draft document now introduced, however, no indication was given as to which other parties Die Linke would be willing to accept as possible coalition partners. The title of the 137 page document now presented is “Time to act. For social stability, peace and climate equality!” The programme is advocating raising the minimum wage to 13 Euros an hour, a basic income of 1200 Euros, 5 % tax on fortunes worth more than 1 million Euros and a 30-hour-workweek. A new addition to the party’s plattform is their advocacy for “a left Green New Deal”, including investments in sustainable infrastructure worth 38 billion Euros and for Germany to become fossil-free by 2035. The party is also confirming their commitment to world peace, advocating for a significant reduction of the German military complex and rejecting foreign military engagement, as well as all arms export. Die Linke will elect new chairpersons in three weeks, whose task it will be to lead the party into the campaign year. The two candidates are Susanne Hennig-Wellsow and Janine Wissler.

Story by Die Tageszeitung (left wing weekly).