Straight Talkin' about Coop' in Saxony-Anhalt: Left Party's Reichinnek Leans Towards Union
Union-open collaboration prospect with Reichinnek left on the table
Ever wondered if tolerance can smash those political walls? Left Party faction leader Reichinnek hints at collab with the Union crew, including the CDU and CSU, to keep the AfD out of power in Saxony-Anhalt. And guess what? The Red-Red-Green coalition is also up for grabs.
Raising EyebrowsHeidi Reichinnek, chairwoman of the Left Party faction in the Bundestag, has shown a fresh perspective towards deeper cooperation with the Union. She told the German Editorial Network (RND): "On the day of the Chancellor's election, we sat in a room with the CDU, and no one spontaneously combusted. We don't share much with the Union, and that's a good thing. But of course, we keep chatting with democrats to do something for the people."
Chillin' with the CDUReichinnek even considered the possibility of tolerating a CDU state government in Saxony-Anhalt to thwart an AfD government after the 2026 state elections. She said: "I'm game for just about anything before my hometown lands in the clutches of the AfD."
She urged the Union to rethink their anti-collab stance with the Left Party. "Of course, the CDU can and should say it works with a democratic party like the Left Party, not with the right-wing extremist AfD. You just need a basic democratic compass of values. The Left aims to make democracy more socially just, while the AfD wants to scrap it. Seems straightforward enough, right?" Reichinnek added: "In the end, the Union will have to ask itself which side of history it wants to stand on."
Strategizing Red-Red-GreenFor the left spectrum, Reichinnek called for a joint strategy between the Left Party, Greens, and SPD to pave the way for red-red-green coalition options. "Of course, we gotta think about how to secure progressive majorities in the next four years. But it's not only us, but also the SPD and the Greens that need to strategize. Unfortunately, we're currently stealin' voters from each other. We gotta boost support for our positions in the broader society."
In current polls, the Left Party has edged past the Greens for the first time. However, Reichinnek wasn't celebrating this as a win for her party: "It ain't cool if the Greens and we swap five percent of the votes back and forth. Instead, we gotta ask ourselves: Which demographics do the Greens tap into? Which do we touch? And what can we pull off together?"
Criticizin' the Social DemocratsReichinnek slammed the SPD: "I don't spy any traces of the SPD's historical values in the black-red coalition agreement, and I fear that nothing much of the SPD will remain after this coalition under Blackrock Chancellor Merz. I pray that the SPD wakes up again in the next four years."
- The Left Party
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Saxony-Anhalt state elections
- Red-Red-Green
- AfD
Under the Hood:Historically, the CDU and CSU have been hesitant about forming coalitions with the Left Party due to ideological differences and past ties to the East German communist party, the PDS. Any alliance between the Union and the Left Party could potentially lead to political upheaval, risk alienating conservative voters, and may benefit parties like the AfD. However, such a collaboration is highly unlikely given the CDU/CSU's general stance against the Left Party.
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075385/germany-election-votes-green-party/[2] https://www.dw.com/en/anthony-merz-germany-spd-backs-blackrock-climate-chief-for-chancellor/a-60711274[3] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/29/german-voters-lean-left-in-latest-polls-but-european-parties-on-rise/[4] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1136190/germany-election-votes-social-democrat-party/[5] https://www.dw.com/en/german-afd-party-is-rising-in-opinion-polls-ahead-of-state-elections/a-61283830
- As the Left Party works towards collaborating with the Union to prevent the AfD from gaining power in Saxony-Anhalt, questions about the community and employment policies of these parties may arise, considering their ideological differences and past ties.
- On the rise, the Left Party, together with the SPD and Greens, might consider a Red-Red-Green coalition, calling for a joint strategy to secure progressive majorities and boost support for their positions, addressing the need for employment and community policies that benefit the people.
