I have been following the ongoing drama with the SPD and its critics over the weekend. The latest crisis started last Thursday with a ‘Chain e-Mail’ from left-wing SPD members calling for Gerhard Schröder to step down as Chancellor. Then Oskar Lafotaine surfaced with an interview in Der Spiegel where he threatened to lead a new ‘Left Party’ (“Linkspartei”) in the next election, unless Schröder drastically changes course and abandons most the reforms put forward in the SPD’s “Agenda 2010”. Lafontaine sees these as antithetical to the fundamental tenets of social democracy, and even accuses the SPD of a massive deception:
“Sie (die SPD) hat ein Mandat auf der Grundlage eines bestimmten Programms, in dem nichts von einer Agenda 2010 stand. Insofern handelt es sich um einen gravierenden Fall von Wahlbetrug.”
A group I am not familar with – Wahlalternative Arbeit und soziale Gerechtigkeit – sees itself as the basis for the new ‘Left Party’ and welcomed Lafontaine’s comments. The group has a Web site, but I have not had the chance to study their positions in detail.
In most recent developments late Sunday it appears that the SPD has closed ranks. Using Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit as spokesman, the party leadership called for Lafotaine to leave the SPD. It remains to be seen if Lafotaine has the policial following and the charisma to galvanize a new party movement.
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I’ve been trying to follow these developments as well, but maybe you can answer some question I have. I understand the ugly soul searching the SPD is now going through, but from purely tactical point of view, doesn’t the potential splintering of the left play directly into the hands of the Union? I cannot help recall the result of the split between left USPD and SPD at the beginning of the last century. I mean, if reform within the left is necessary shouldn’t it be done within a unified SPD? Otherwise, the field seems completely ceded to the right. Does this make sense?
I do agree with you, Schnitzengruben, and I don’t think Oskar will have much success. However, there appears to be a lot of frustration/dissatisfaction among the trade union member base, as they watch their benefits get rolled back. I am surprised that the Greens have not been able to capitalize on this, or are they now completely discredited?