In the heart of Thuringia, the Left party (Die Linke) is gearing up for elections, promising a range of initiatives that won't be swayed by the election outcome. During their 90-day program presentation in Erfurt, party leaders, including Bodo Ramelow and Jan van Aken, shared their plans.
Ramelow, the charismatic leader of the minority government, expressed his intentions for post-election negotiations with democratic parties. He's open to discussions with all, excluding the far-right AfD. Despite the limitations in prospective re-election, Ramelow remains optimistic, attributing it to the resilience of his supporters.
Meanwhile, Jan van Aken, an aspiring federal chairman, predicts better performance than current polls indicate. Dauntless in his ambition, Aken pledged his party would regain their lost ground, aiming for a strong 20% support in the state election.
Van Aken considers coalition possibilities, including the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (BSW), while expressing reservations. A possible BSW-led government remains a potential, but only after the election results emerge.
Equally hopeful for a strong showing is Katja Wolf, the BSW's prominent Thuringia candidate. Wolf considers a coalition with the Left, though her stance on the far-right AfD is more ambiguous, stating it depends on the election outcomes.
The Left, in Thuringia, intends to reduce parents' childcare expenses by sharing the funding burden between the state and municipalities. Their goal is to gradually render childcare and education completely free in Thuringia.
Ulrike Grande-Röthig, the Left's leader in Thuringia, vows to constructively address state issues in the parliament post-election, given their decade-long tenure in power. The absence of a majority in the red-red-green minority government, however, has prevented them from implementing several projects.
Among their key initiatives, The Left focuses on establishing a state housing development company, aiming to construct around 1,500 affordable rental apartments by 2030. Additionally, they plan to introduce a law in the state parliament aimed at preventing large-scale farmland acquisition by investment companies.
Industry specialists at Thuringia's Landtag also propose a state ticket priced at 28 euros for individuals under 28, and the establishment of a central state immigration authority.
Come election day, the Left in Thuringia's Landtag remains resolute in their commitment to forge ahead with these initiatives regardless of the election outcome.
