An update on my last entry: The FR reports that the SPD has in fact begun the process to strip the membership of the 6 people responsible for planning to form a splinter party. These are, apparently, 5 union members from Bavaria and a Hamburg professor. The plan is to deprive them of their party voting rights for three months, but they might not actually be kicked out, if, for example, they were to retract their signatures. How will this progress and, really, does it matter?
Update: further reading at the FR:
Hinter dem Projekt stehen bundesweit vor allem zwei Bewegungen. In Bayern haben linke Gruppierungen unter tatkräftiger Anleitung von IG-Metall-Funktionären eine "Initiative Arbeit und soziale Gerechtigkeit" ins Leben gerufen. Die Gruppe tritt für ein "sozial gerecht finanziertes Gemeinwesen ein", sagt der Schweinfurter IG-Metall-Chef Klaus Ernst. Daneben wirkt die "Wahlalternative", bei der Mitabeiter der Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft Verdi ebenso mit von der Partie sind wie enttäuschte SPD- und PDS-Mitglieder oder auch Vertreter von Attac und Sozialverbänden.[translation]
And: at the site of the Wahlpolitische Alternative, the group in question, a few words on the whys and wherefores, including a position paper (which I haven't read yet): "Die Wahlergebnisse und Mitgliederentwicklung der Sozialdemokratie zeigen, dass viele BürgerInnen sich von der Politik der Agenda 2010 getäuscht fühlen." [The election results and membership development of social democracy reveal that many citizens are disappointed with the politics of Agenda 2010.] The group was formed in order to give voice to those disaffected voices, who will meet at the beginning of June to clarify their position.
** I wonder if this is comparable in any way to the feelings that mobilized people behind Howard Dean (initially at least). Now, I don't harbor much hope that Kerry signals a remaking of the Democratic party, but certainly at one point there was a widespread belief that the party does need to be reformed.
Two nationwide movements are the primary forces behind the project. In Bavaria, leftist groups, under the firm leadership of IG Metall functionaries called for an "Initiative for work and social justice." The group seeks "a community that is funded in a socially just manner", says Schweinfurt's IG-Metall head Klaus Ernst. Working alongside them are the "Election alternative", made up of colleagues from the service industry union Verdi as well as disaffected SPD and PDS members, and representatives from Attach and social organizations.
Posted by Heather at March 15, 2004 05:17 PM
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