Vice President of the Bundestag, Bodo Ramelow of the Left Party (Linke), is advocating for collaboration between the CDU and the Left Party to prevent the AfD from forming a government in Saxony-Anhalt. Speaking to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland,” Ramelow stated that anyone who wants to prevent harm to the state of Saxony-Anhalt must be capable of discussing issues across party lines. He criticized the CDU, adding, “It is the CDU that hesitates, instead of saying, ‘We will work together on topics where we can cooperate.'”
Luigi Pantisano, co-chairman of the Left Party, had previously told ZDF that the party had demonstrated its willingness to take responsibility for the state in recent years, especially concerning the effort to stop an AfD government. Ramelow dismissed Pantisano’s comments regarding a potential support for a CDU-led government in Saxony-Anhalt as a “trivial observation.” He argued that an effective government free from the blackmailing potential of the AfD was necessary, noting that the AfD’s goals were already detailed in its own government program, which should unite all democrats.
Ramelow also distanced himself from co-party leader Ines Schwerdtner, who had told “Stern” that there would be nationalizations if the Berlin Left Party entered a government. Ramelow urged party leaders to refrain from making statements on state political issues during election periods. He found Schwerdtner’s statement regarding the expropriation of housing associations as a condition for a Berlin coalition unhelpful. He asserted that it would have been sufficient to note that it is a fundamental principle for the Left Party to implement the results of public referenda. Leaders should let the top candidates have precedence during election campaigns, something, he believes, they can only impose upon others.
