A leading figure within Germany’s Left party, Janis Ehling, has urged the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Green party to prioritize forming a government positioned to the left of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In remarks conveyed to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Ehling emphasized the party’s core focus remains improving the quality of life for citizens.
He acknowledged the potential for collaboration with other democratic parties, highlighting areas of shared policy objectives alongside inevitable differences. “For us, the central question is how we can improve the lives of people” he stated. “We naturally also work with other democratic parties. We have substantive overlaps there, but of course also differences.
Ehling further underscored a medium-term objective of rebuilding a parliamentary majority situated to the left of the CDU. He expressed concerns regarding discussions that deviate from this goal, particularly in a political climate characterized by the rising influence of far-right political forces.
The call for increased collaboration echoes recent signals from within the Green party, suggesting a potential shift in approach. However, Green party leadership, as exemplified by Franziska Brantner, has cautioned against premature considerations of a potential red-red-green coalition, pointing to the current aggregate share of votes held by those parties. “Together we currently have a third of the votes; you don’t need to philosophize about a red-red-green majority at the moment” Brantner commented.