Alegre e Lafontaine
"Then why did supporters of the Left have such a joyous election night gathering in the huge tent near the old GDR Palace of the Republic (a symbol the West German politicians can't wait to tear down)?
The election returns kept coming onto the giant screens hung around the tent and outside. The Left began at about 7.7 percent, then moved up to 7.9 percent, 8.1, 8.2, finally settling at 8.7 percent -- more than double its rate of 2002. Higher than any polls had predicted, this meant full status as a regular caucus in the Bundestag, with over 50 seats (from a total around 600). It even meant overtaking the Greens of Foreign Minister Fischer, who got 8.1 percent.
Despite the complicated maneuvering involved in trying to agree on some governing coalition, all the other parties agreed they would never, ever join a coalition with the naughty party on the left. It will remain, as it always planned, in the opposition. But at last it will get the chance to speak out in the Bundestag and the media, opposing armament buildups and military adventures, fighting all soak-the-poor policies, exposing the hypocrisy of tolerating neo-nazis (if not in words then in actions), opposing all cuts in job protection policies. The Left cannot pass any laws, but its pressure can be very telling, especially with the new partnership creating an all-German party, visible in West Germany, too, where its candidates averaged 4 to 8 percent in most areas and nearly 20 percent in the Saarland region of Oskar Lafontaine. It can no longer be totally ignored.
The politicians and the media will do everything to splinter this new unity on the left. They will try to turn Lafontaine against Gysi (or vice versa), and split the varied groups and groupings among the often inexperienced Bundestag delegates, or between them and their constituents. But if they can stick together, at least on key policies, this could alter the whole German political scene. And since the PDS has been a key player in rebuilding leftwing cooperation on the European level, it can have an even broader effect, creating a ripple effect and encouraging leftists in other countries to overcome differences and move together against new, dangerous attacks against the people.
Victor Grossman
Eu sou o primeiro a considerar que Alegre não tem talento político nem vontade para fazer o que fez Lafontaine na Alemanha: sair do partido da maioria para criar - com os renovadores comunistas - uma nova e decisiva força política. Mas também entendo as razões porque Sócrates e Louçã estão tão preocupados. Os pavões, aproveitando o post do Daniel, são irascíveis. E, quando querem, magoam.
The election returns kept coming onto the giant screens hung around the tent and outside. The Left began at about 7.7 percent, then moved up to 7.9 percent, 8.1, 8.2, finally settling at 8.7 percent -- more than double its rate of 2002. Higher than any polls had predicted, this meant full status as a regular caucus in the Bundestag, with over 50 seats (from a total around 600). It even meant overtaking the Greens of Foreign Minister Fischer, who got 8.1 percent.
Despite the complicated maneuvering involved in trying to agree on some governing coalition, all the other parties agreed they would never, ever join a coalition with the naughty party on the left. It will remain, as it always planned, in the opposition. But at last it will get the chance to speak out in the Bundestag and the media, opposing armament buildups and military adventures, fighting all soak-the-poor policies, exposing the hypocrisy of tolerating neo-nazis (if not in words then in actions), opposing all cuts in job protection policies. The Left cannot pass any laws, but its pressure can be very telling, especially with the new partnership creating an all-German party, visible in West Germany, too, where its candidates averaged 4 to 8 percent in most areas and nearly 20 percent in the Saarland region of Oskar Lafontaine. It can no longer be totally ignored.
The politicians and the media will do everything to splinter this new unity on the left. They will try to turn Lafontaine against Gysi (or vice versa), and split the varied groups and groupings among the often inexperienced Bundestag delegates, or between them and their constituents. But if they can stick together, at least on key policies, this could alter the whole German political scene. And since the PDS has been a key player in rebuilding leftwing cooperation on the European level, it can have an even broader effect, creating a ripple effect and encouraging leftists in other countries to overcome differences and move together against new, dangerous attacks against the people.
Victor Grossman
Eu sou o primeiro a considerar que Alegre não tem talento político nem vontade para fazer o que fez Lafontaine na Alemanha: sair do partido da maioria para criar - com os renovadores comunistas - uma nova e decisiva força política. Mas também entendo as razões porque Sócrates e Louçã estão tão preocupados. Os pavões, aproveitando o post do Daniel, são irascíveis. E, quando querem, magoam.
Posted by FTA at 9:59 da manhã
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