Statement of the German Communist Party (DKP) on the Bundestag elections:
September 28, 2021
DKP President Patrik Köbele, commenting on the results of the Bundestag elections, said:
The results of the Bundestag elections will lead to negotiations between the SPD, the CDU, the Greens and the FDP. In all likelihood, the grand coalition will be discontinued and instead all other combinations in the camp of these four parties are open.
All possible line-ups are for a federal government of increasing domestic and foreign aggression. All of these parties have come out, with varying nuances, in favor of the warmongering orientation of NATO and the militarization of the EU, of a course against Russia and China. All these parties are in favor of strong attacks on the democratic and social rights of the people of this country. These attacks will intensify after the elections. The reasons given in justification may be many. Some will call into question, with varying degrees of intensity, the saving of the environment, but no one has any idea of a real improvement in the ecological situation, because they do not want to affect capitalist profit or even property relations.
The prospect for the labor and peace movement after these federal elections will still be to walk the path of resistance.
The outcome of the Left Party is bitter and there is no reason to gloat or even rejoice. But this performance is the result of an election campaign in which Die Linke has made it clear that it is ready to throw everything overboard for the sake of government. The experience of governing parties of the left, where it happens, demonstrates a course not very different from traditional social democracy.
Despite an increase in voter turnout, non-voters account for just under a quarter of eligible voters, thus remaining the strongest “party”. The share of votes cast by the so-called “others” is at an all-time high of well over 8%; together with the non-voters, this means that well over 30% of eligible voters are not represented in the German federal parliament.
The DKP’s performance is unsatisfactory, with slight gains compared to the 2017 Bundestag elections. The DKP is too weak to present itself as such to people seeking alternatives. Nevertheless, our election campaign was useful. It allowed the party to take its positions outside and this strengthened it. The DKP was the only party in this militarist-oriented election campaign to consistently promote peace positions. We were able to raise awareness in a wider audience, attract new members and activists.
We thank our constituents, our candidates, and our comrades who participated in this election campaign. Let’s continue to choose the path of resistance. This is now more necessary than ever: for peace with Russia and China. Against social cuts and the dismantling of democracy. The perspective for man and nature is not capitalism.
Essen, September 27, 2021
-Translation for Resistenze.org by the Center for Popular Culture and Documentation
