Linken-Chef Jan van Aken has expressed concern over the increasing sense of isolation due to social exclusion. “Loneliness is spreading like a plague in this country” he warned at the Linken Party Congress in Chemnitz on Saturday. Van Aken further emphasized that people without jobs, those who fear eviction due to impending rent increases and those worried about not being able to provide warm meals to their children at the end of the month are all experiencing a deep sense of loneliness.
Moreover, van Aken criticized the new government’s decision to exempt defense spending from the debt brake. He called for a windfall tax on arms companies, stating, “No one should profit from the suffering of others.” He also sharply criticized the new cabinet of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of appointing other millionaires to make millionaire policies and being detached from reality.
Van Aken emphasized that the divide lies between the rich and the poor, not between different backgrounds. He also pointed out that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has always been a party for the wealthy and they should address the concerns of the people by countering the fear that the AfD instills with hope.
Additionally, van Aken mentioned plans for a rent cap and examples of how it could be enforced, as well as a climate solidarity tax on the top ten percent, as they are the most responsible for climate damage.