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Sören Pellmann, the left-wing parliamentary group's representative for Eastern Europe
Photo: Jan Woitas / dpa
The left is divided on how to express displeasure at rising energy prices.
Despite criticism from Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow, the East German representative of the left-wing faction in the Bundestag is sticking to his planned Monday demonstrations against rising energy prices and the gas levy announced by the federal government.
"I completely agree with Bodo Ramelow: We must take to the streets together with all democrats to ensure that energy is affordable," said Sören Pellmann of the editorial network Germany (RND).
»We do that best on every single day of the week – also on Mondays!« The start of the demos against is planned for Monday, September 5th in Leipzig.
The daily newspaper "Junge Welt" had previously reported on the date for the first Monday demonstration against the gas levy and price increases.
Pellmann had called on citizens in the East German states to hold Monday demonstrations against the planned gas levy.
Because of lower income and reserves, the East is particularly vulnerable to exploding energy prices.
Pellmann warned: »People should defend themselves.
We need new Monday demonstrations in the East like we did against Hartz IV.«
Ramelow then warned his Left Party against making common cause with right-wing radicals in the planned protests against rising energy prices.
"The left is fighting for an effective protective shield over all options, in the Bundestag and Bundesrat," Ramelow told the editorial network Germany (Tuesday).
»In the case of social protests, please observe the rule of distance to right-wing extremist organizers.
The right-wingers were rightly criticized for usurping the symbolism of the Monday demonstrations.«
During the so-called Peaceful Revolution in the GDR, there were Monday demonstrations against the SED regime.
Later, right-wing and radical right-wing circles took advantage of the symbolism.
asc/dpa
