Status: 04.09.2021 6:33 p.m.
The Left Party is preparing to participate in government: never before has red-green-red been so realistic, according to left leader Henning-Wellsow in the “FAS”. SPD leader Esken emphasized, however, that there are some conditions for such an alliance.
It wasn’t that long ago that only Olaf Scholz believed in himself when he said: “I will be the next Chancellor”. The SPD was too beaten – instead everything seemed to amount to a duel between the Union and the Greens. Today, three weeks before the election, it looks different: According to the latest ARD Germany trend The SPD is clearly ahead in the polls, while the Union is in free fall.
The development suddenly makes a whole series of government constellations conceivable – including a left alliance of the SPD, the Greens and the Left Party. This would come according to the latest ARD Germany trend after all, to 47 percent of the vote. Other surveys predict even better values for red-green-red.
“When, if not now?”
For left leader Susanne Henning-Wellsow there is now the opportunity to participate in government. “When, if not now?” Asks Henning-Wellsow in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”. The window for the left to participate in government has never been opened before. Therefore, “for the first time in the history of the party” is preparing specifically for a coalition with the SPD and the Greens.
Left relies on the SPD and Greens basis
The left-wing top candidates Janine Wissler and Dietmar Bartsch want to present a government program with key dates for possible coalition negotiations this Monday. As the “FAS” reports, this is already quite specific. Among other things, the Left wants to increase the minimum wage and pensions, abolish Hartz-IV and introduce basic child security and a nationwide rent cap.
Henning-Wellsow relies on the approval of the SPD and Greens base. She is not sure whether SPD candidate Scholz and Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock are really interested in governing with the left. “But I know both of them that the shop behind them wants to,” says Henning-Wellsow.
Conflict security policy – Laschet warns
In the past, the SPD and the Greens had not ruled out a possible left-wing alliance, but repeatedly emphasized fundamental differences – for example in foreign and security policy. Most recently, SPD leader Saskia Esken said in the “Welt am Sonntag”: “A condition for a government alliance with the SPD is that coalition partners pursue a solid budget policy and are clearly committed to NATO and a strong, sovereign EU. That is non-negotiable.” That should provide some material for discussion – after all, the left wants Germany to leave NATO. Whereby left-wing candidate Bartsch recently tried not to let this become a knockout criterion: One wants to talk to the other first, so Bartsch im MDR.
CDU boss Armin Laschet – in dire straits due to poor poll numbers – warned urgently of red-green-red. “Some say yes: Now the red sock campaign is being revived,” said Laschet. But that’s not the point. If the left wants to dissolve NATO and the protection of the constitution, there are reasons “that these people are not allowed to sit in a German government,” said Laschet. SPD candidate Scholz does not have a clear stance on this.