Red-Red-Green, this coalition of the SPD, the Left and the Greens seems possible after the federal election.
Despite differences in content, the Left Party is now on the offensive.
Munich - The Left Party is playing a not insignificant role in this Bundestag election campaign - even though it has stagnated at just six to seven percent in the polls of the past few months.
Nevertheless, the left could be involved in the government if it successfully entered the Bundestag (keyword: five percent hurdle).
Thanks to the SPD and the Greens, who - contrary to the demands of the CDU and CSU, for example - still do not completely rule out a corresponding alliance.
Accordingly, the Left Party is already positioning itself.
Bundestag election: Gysi rushes forward at red-red-green - "I think the signs are so clear"
The SPD and the Greens certainly have points of contact with the Left Party. In social policy in particular, the parties are not far apart. The SPD and the Greens want a minimum wage of at least twelve, the Left demands 13 euros (currently 9.60 euros). There are, however, major differences in foreign policy. Gregor Gysi, foreign policy spokesman for the left, still believes in an agreement. "I think the signs are set so clearly that we can come to an understanding on these issues in red-red-green," said the party's former parliamentary group leader in
Der Spiegel
.
The spokesman for security policy of the left-wing parliamentary group, Matthias Höhn, told the magazine: "It is clear that the SPD and the Greens have to correct their foreign policy in important points." Höhn mentioned foreign deployments and the NATO two percent target.
There are “hurdles for cooperation with the SPD and the Greens, but an agreement is possible if all three parties are serious about the fact that there must be no more like this after the federal election.” No question, the left is ready for red-red -Green.
It is simply the only realistic way to get involved in government.
Current state governments in which the Left Party is involved.
Berlin
: Red-Red-Green under SPD Mayor Michael Müller (since 2016).
Bremen
: Red-Red-Green under SPD Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte (since 2019).
Thuringia
: Red-Red-Green under Left Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (since 2020; minority government).
Overall, the left sits in ten state parliaments.
The party is traditionally strong in East Germany.
Bundestag election: Keyword foreign policy - SPD and Greens criticize Left Party
The issue of foreign policy could, however, prevent red-red-green. Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock has already expressed doubts about the left's ability to govern. "The left shot themselves offside with their vote in the Bundestag on Afghanistan," said Baerbock on Tuesday. In terms of foreign policy, they are far apart, including when it comes to foreign deployments of the Bundeswehr, but they want to "talk to all democratic parties," as Baerbock explained with a view to possible future coalitions after the federal election. "That also means with the left - with the caveat that you have to be able to act when it comes to foreign policy."
These statements are just as little understood as a clear no to red-red-green as the words of SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz.
The fact that the current Vice Chancellor finds criticisms of the Left Party became clear in the TV triell, but the parties could still work together after the federal election.
Scholz only said that every formation of a government is linked to "indispensable" principles.
In terms of foreign policy, for example, a clear commitment to NATO is needed.
Bundestag election: the left refuses to accept NATO, but is "able to negotiate"
However, the left “definitely does not want to give up” this commitment to NATO, as party leader Susanne Henning-Wellsow
explained
in an interview with Die
Zeit
. It doesn't need that and “I won't even ask because confessions are not politics, but an invitation not to talk about the problems.” The fact that Scholz is demanding such a commitment is “a pure electoral maneuver”. Scholz is a top candidate, “but not the party itself. Therefore I will not be alarmed at all if Scholz takes a condition out of thin air. "
But one will be ready to compromise.
“Every election platform must be negotiable.
No party will prevail in coalition negotiations one hundred percent with its election program, that is not the essence of democracy. ”There will be no demands from the Left Party in advance.
“We have presented an election manifesto in which our positions are formulated.
But I will not set any conditions here, nor demand any confessions, but we will then negotiate in the interests of the people in this country. ”Leading candidate Dietmar Bartsch, who has already made concessions to the Greens and the SPD, made similar statements - also with regard to NATO.
Bundestag election: Laschet calls for Scholz's commitment - "we can expect that"
So is red-red-green a conceivable option for the federal government? According to current surveys, the three-party alliance is mathematically possible. And in terms of content? This question seems difficult to answer at the moment - also because of the statements made by the Greens and especially the SPD. Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet is the current zigzag course too vague overall. He demands a clear statement from Scholz and the SPD about a possible participation of the left in a government. "I think we can expect a clear statement from whoever wants to become Chancellor," said the CDU boss on Tuesday at the CDU Economic Council's Economic Day. "It is no longer a gimmick whether these people are sitting at the cabinet table or not."
With red-red-green a card should potentially be held to put pressure on the FDP or others to join a red-green government, said Laschet.
He expects a clear statement from Scholz as to whether he would involve the left in a government.
The left is a party that does not belong in a German government, he said, pointing out that the left wanted to leave NATO.
The general election is therefore also about a directional decision.
The Union had recently expressed itself more and more clearly about the “bugbear red-red-green” (Söder).
(Is Laschet Merkel's legacy playful? With our politics newsletter you will always find out all the news about the federal election.)
Bundestag election: Merkel attacks Scholz because of red-red-green - "that would never happen with me"
Chancellor Angela Merkel was also surprisingly offensive.
"With me as Chancellor, there would never be a coalition in which the left is involved," emphasized the outgoing Chancellor, who has so far largely kept out of the election campaign.
Thereupon she attacked the SPD and Scholz unexpectedly and remarked: "Whether this is shared by Olaf Scholz or not remains open."
In the past, there were always comparisons between Scholz and Merkel.
The current runner-up would follow the tactics of Merkel imitation, it was said.
With regard to the Left Party, it is now "that there is a huge difference for the future of Germany between me and him," said Merkel.
The left rejected this “interference” by the Chancellor in future coalition talks. "The times are over when it is decided in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus who sits in the Chancellery and who is involved in the federal government," said Left Bundestag leader Susanne Hennig-Wellsow the
Tagesspiegel
. The left party will not be able to decide the future government either. It depends on the other parties. And they have other options as well. At least Scholz is currently promoting a different alliance - without the left.
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