Outstanding Election Result on the Island of Helgoland

The local union of DIE LINKE in Helgoland (small island in the North Sea, population: 1500) is happy: they have won 16,1% of the votes and therefore 2 of the 13 seats in the newly elected district council. DIE LINKE in Helgoland has had the best results in the local elections in the region Schleswig-Holstein.

The good results show that not only has DIE LINKE arrived in the West of Germany but also that they have become a political force. The positive results are a signal for the upcoming elections for the Landtag in 2010.

In the past, election campaigning in Helgoland meant mostly posting letters and word-of-mouth advertising. This time DIE LINKE offered a visible spectrum of information and a detailed programme as a form of new campaigning, which surprised the other parties.

Special support recieved DIE LINKE from the rest of the party. Lothar Bisky, amongst others, have visited the island during the election campaign.

The new faction will come together soon to discuss the next political steps. Cross-party cooperation and the integration of the population is one of the main tasks to solve problems in Helgoland.

DIE LINKE has won about 6,9% in Schleswig-Holstein. This means a huge success for DIE LINKE. The party has moved into every district council and has received in bigger towns more than 10% of the votes.

DIE LINKE in Schleswig-Holstein will now concentrate on further developing the party in this northern region. The election campaign included subjects such as: child poverty, one school for all, opposing Hartz IV, and the opposition to the privatisation of public services.