Linke Party Update

Starting yesterday in Bonn, the Linke Party is holding one of it's quarterly party meetings, and preparing for the EU election in May.

There are two basic themes to this party meeting.  The first revolves around a 'push' that the EU needs to reform itself....to undergo an evolution.  Part of this theme involves the fact that a growing number of Germans (for that matter, Europeans) feel that the EU has developed into a 'Frankenstein' type creation, and for each problem they claim they've fixed....they've invented a new problem.  For the Linke Party leadership, now is the time for 'change'.

The second theme? For the EU election....the chief topic will be the slogan "For a Europe of Solidarity of the millions, against a European Union of Millionaires."  The haves versus the have-nots. 

For the Linke Party, since the two party merger in the 1990s....there's been a fairly stagnant voting trend. In the 2017 election, they pulled around a 8.6-percent vote, and for 2013, it was 8.2-percent.   In 2009, they bumped up to 11.1-percent, which was an increase over 2005's 8-percent. 

Why the stagnation?  Basically, if you did tend to vote on the liberal side of politics, you have a choice of the SPD (left-of-center), the Greens, the Linke Party, and at least three or four lesser-known parties.  So you lay out your ten important factors in life and politics.....marking which party chats more on that topic, and you end up with the better or more logical pick.

The leadership problem with the Linke Party?  You basically have three role-players in the Linke.  Sahra Wagenknecht is noted as the leader of the party, and has given some hyped-up speeches.  But behind her is Katja Kipping, which has a particular dislike of Wagenknecht.  KIpping is the co-chair-person of the party.  The third character in the mix is Bernd Riexinger (the other co-chair-person of the party).  Riexinger is this odd character in the party because he's originally a banker, and to be honest....most everyone associated with the party has a tendency to dislike bankers.

The other thing you might notice about the party, and voting trends?  Well....the majority of their votes still come from what is old DDR (East Germany).  If you look at those five states, that's the bulk of their vote.  In Bavaria or Baden-Wurttemberg?  They are barely noticed. 

As for the EU election trend?  Well....in 2014, they had around 7.4-percent of the national vote for the Linke Party.  You have to remember.....out of 62-million registered German to vote....only about half of them came out in 2014 to vote in the EU election.  I'd expect the same situation in 2019.