Far-left wins power in German state of Thuringia

By Tommy Hansen

COPENHAGEN

 The German state of Thuringia has become the first to vote for a far-left prime minister since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Bodo Ramelow, the leader of the German socialist party Die Linke (The Left) in Thuringia, began his new job on Friday by apologizing to the victims of the far-left regime in the former East Germany.

Speaking shortly after he won a second-round vote in the federal state parliament (Landtag), the 58-year-old referred to the victims of the East German regime directly, addressing an old friend who was present - Andreas Möller - who had been incarcerated in the Stasi prison in Potsdam.

"Dear Andreas Möller; to you and to all of your comrades, I can only deliver a wish of apology and forgiveness from you," he said.

It is the first time in its history that Die Linke has become the largest party in a coalition and also the first time it has gained the office of prime minister in a state government.

The election of socialist Ramelow follows the formation of an unprecedented coalition of Die Linke, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens - referred to as the "red-red-green" coalition - formed after general elections in the Landtag in September.

Dreaded ministry

The fact Die Linke, rooted in the Marxist–Leninist ”Socialist Unity Party of Germany” (SED) which ruled former East Germany in a one-party system, now holds the position of power in a German federal state has triggered controversy, with critics claiming the party has not sufficiently distanced itself from the former oppressive communist regime.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Erfurt a day before the second-round vote shouting slogans such as: "Save us from blood red-red-green” and “Stasi go away”, referring to the name of the dreaded Ministry for State Security in the former East Germany.

The three ruling parties have said dealing with the past was a major subject of their talks prior to their forming the current coalition.

The coalition holds a total of 46 votes in the Landtag, while the opposition – including the Christian Democrats (CDU) - has 45.

The CDU, which has been in the government of Thuringia since 1990, won most seats in elections in September, but was unable to forge a coalition.

The new government has said it plans to improve education in the state by hiring more teachers and will give one year of free kindergarten education to every child.

Ramelow has no communist past but went east when Germany reunited in 1990 and later joined Die Linke.

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