The Local Germany

Socialist Left party finally elects leadership

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 12:06:00 +0200

After an extremely contentious day in which leading German Left party politicians said the socialist party risks destroying itself, the rank and file finally chose a new leadership on Saturday.

Former Left head Lafontaine admits relationship

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:11:00 +0100

The former head of the socialist Left Party Oskar Lafontaine has confirmed that he is in a relationship with Sahra Wagenknecht, a prominent representative of the left-wing of the party.

Linke split by rumours of a Lafontaine return

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:05:00 +0200

The socialist Left party (Linke) is being wracked by speculation that former leader and one-time Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine could return to the top ranks of the party.

Socialist class warriors divided over leaders' posh hotel rooms

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:52:00 +0100

Members of the German socialist party The Left (Die Linke) have been complaining that two of their most prominent leaders stayed in four-star hotels during a trip to France while the rest of the delegation made do in two-star accommodation.

Lafontaine steps aside for new Left party leaders

Sat, 15 May 2010 14:32:00 +0200

Oskar Lafontaine, co-leader of Germany’s far-left party Die Linke, quits the political stage this weekend because of illness: But he leaves the party he founded in rude health.

The Left presents blueprint for party platform

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:26:00 +0100

Germany’s socialist party The Left has submitted a draft of its policy platform, some two-and-a-half years after its founding. Both the conservatives and the SPD attacked the 25-page paper as a populist hodgepodge.

FDP loses popular support in poll

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +0100

A new poll on Wednesday showed public support for the pro-business Free Democrats, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s junior coalition partners, had dropped by a third just four months after national elections.

Women touted to replace ailing Lafontaine

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +0100

A woman should take over the top position for the socialist party The Left after Oskar Lafontaine’s resignation this weekend, the party’s parliamentary group deputy chairman Bodo Ramelow suggested on Monday.

Leftist chief Lafontaine to step down

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:22:00 +0100

The head of Germany's socialist party The Left, Oskar Lafontaine, will give up his leadership position and his Bundestag seat, party sources said on Saturday. The 66-year-old underwent cancer surgery last year.

Leftist leader Bartsch to step down

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:29:00 +0100

Dietmar Bartsch, the general secretary of Germany‘s socialist Left party, said on Friday he would step down in May after coming under pressure for alleged disloyalty to party leader Oskar Lafontaine.

Left's Lafontaine tipped for comeback after cancer surgery

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:38:00 +0100

The socialist Left party chairman Oskar Lafontaine is planning a return to politics after he recovers from recent prostate cancer treatment, the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper reported Sunday.

Lafontaine recovering after cancer operation

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:02:00 +0100

Oskar Lafontaine, leader of the socialist party The Left, is recovering from an operation on his prostate cancer and is doing as well as can be expected, a spokesman said at the weekend.

Socialist leader Lafontaine has cancer

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:08:00 +0100

Oskar Lafontaine, the fiery leader of Germany’s socialist party The Left, announced on Tuesday he needs surgery for cancer.

Shambolic Left party aims to unite for poll

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:48:00 +0200

Shaken by growing infighting and unable to profit from capitalism's global crisis, the head of Germany’s hard-line socialist Left party urged delegates at its annual conference on Saturday to close ranks for September's general election.

Toasting times for Germany's leftists

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:29:00 +0200

Roger Boyes, the Berlin correspondent of British daily The Times, explains why Germany’s leftists should raise a glass of bubbly to the global economic crisis.

Merkel defends her East German past

Tue, 19 May 2009 19:01:00 +0200

In the ongoing German debate about the legacy of the GDR, Chancellor Angela Merkel has roundly condemned the former communist regime while defending her membership in communist youth organisation the Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ).

Lafontaine balks at working with SPD

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:27:00 +0100

Oskar Lafontaine, populist chairman of Germany's hard-line socialist Left party Die Linke, has reacted belligerently to the centre-left Social Democratic Party's apparent new openness to working together at the state level.

Lafontaine demands 'millionaire tax' to boost economy

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:05:00 +0100

Oskar Lafontaine, the head of the hard-line socialist Left party, on Friday demanded Germany implement a “millionaire tax” to help offset the economic impact of the financial crisis.

Leftists outraged by Schmidt’s comparison of Lafontaine to Hitler

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0200

Members of Germany’s hard-line socialist Left party on Monday attacked former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt for comparing their populist leader Oskar Lafontaine with Adolf Hitler and French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Far-left overtakes SPD in west German state

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:41:00 +0200

The hard-line socialist Left Party has overtaken the centre-left Social Democrats for the first time ever in a western German state, according to a new opinion poll released on Wednesday.