The Left (Germany)

Formation

The Left proceeds at the beginning of an agreement between the left current of SPD, directed by Oskar Lafontaine and supported by trade unionists (IG Metall and ver.di), the party WASG and the Left party.

In the first elections in reunified Germany of December 1990 the PDS obtains 10% of the votes in old the Germany of the East giving him 17 seats to the Bundestag. In October 1994 it obtains 4 direct mandates (all in East Berlin), which enabled him to be represented at the Parliament by 30 deputies, although its total score on all Germany (4,4%) was below the threshold of the 5% necessary for a representation proportional. In 1998, it arrived to 5,1%, which ensured the presence of 36 deputies to him.

But in 2002, the results were more disappointing, since with a score (4,3%) located in on this side 5% and only two directly elected deputies (Petra Pau and Gesine Lötzsch), it could not form a group at the Bundestag.

The left takes part in the coalitions with SPD which manage the Berlin. It controls many town halls in Länder of the East.

One of the two chiefs of the party is Lothar Bisky which succeeded Gabi Zimmer in 2003 as leader of the PDS. Gregor Gysi, which occupied this function in the past, remains today one of the most influential leaders of the Left.

The PDS took part in the foundation of the Parti the European left (PGE).

Lastly, at the time of the election of 2004 to the the European Parliament, the PDS obtains 6,1% of the votes and 7 seats, is a mandate moreover than with the preceding poll.

Alliance PDS-WASG

In July 2005, the PDS and WASG announce their alliance for the federal elections of the September 18th 2005 and receive the reinforcement of Oskar Lafontaine which leaves SPD. To symbolize the new relation, the PDS changa its name in Left party with the optional use of letters “PDS” left with the discretion of the regional federations. This strategy permetta with the party to reach 8,7% and to regain the parliamentary statute of group to the the Bundestag, in front of the Alliance 90/the Greens but behind FDP of many seats.

To the elections of the Land of Bremen the May 13rd 2007, the Left party passed for the first time the bar of the 5% in an regional election in Germany of the West with 8,4% (+ 6,7%), benefitting from the distrust towards the two parties of the government coalition.

Not-alliance with the left parties

With the the Bundestag, the theoretical configuration Green + Social democrat + DIE LINKE has an absolute majority. However, this alliance is refused categorically on the two sides. The Left is in major dissension with these two parties which it indicates like néolibéraux. On their side, in their majority the Alliance 90/the Greens and SPD purely see it like a party protestor and populist and reproach him for being the direct successor of SED, the party of State of GDR.

Foundation

From March 30th to May 18th, 2007, the members of the two formations (that is to say approximately 72.000 people) were invited to decide for or against the dissolution of the Left party and the WASG in a single party. The résulstats were without call:

83,9% of the members of WASG decides in favor of fusion (15,1% against), with a rate of participation of 49,8%.
96,9% of the members of the Left party are favorable to fusion (3,1% against), with a rate of participation of 82,6%.

June 16th, 2007, the Left is born really as a political party at the end of a great congress founder (fusion is definitively enterrinée by the delegates of the two parties) to which took share of many guests coming from all Europe (and in particular the French Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Clémentine Autain). Lothar Bisky and Oskar Lafontaine is indicated by it copresidents.

The last surveys him give approximately 10 to 12%, and even up to 24% of voting intentions, while at the same time SPD is in freefall, put in difficulty by its alliance with the CDU of the chancelière Angela Merkel. If these results are confirmed with next regional of 2008, with Hamburg, in Hesse and Lower Saxony, true boulerversement of the power struggles within the German left wing could be considered.

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