Executive Committee Meeting, December 3-4, 2016

Dear comrades, last weekend, the Party Executive Committee (PEC) set the course for a successful federal election campaign 2017. Focus of the meeting on Saturday was the debate and resolution of the election strategy.

Election strategy decided: 10 per cent plus x. For a fundamental policy change!

After an analysis of the conflicts in society and the other parties the election strategy focuses on our real voter potential. 17 per cent of the electorate can currently imagine to vote for DIE LINKE. This is definitely a decent figure. Yet, compared to other parties, at the moment we do not sufficiently succeed in persuading those potential voters to ballot for DIE LINKE. The question of how to mobilise those that are just about to vote for us will be the focus of our strategy, keeping in mind our traditional voters of course. We have to deliver persuading reasons and motifs for exactly those potential voters to ballot for us. Our election strategy evolves around a story of five good reasons by which we want to convince the people.

DIE LINKE stands for a fundamental policy change. The stronger we become, the sooner others are ready to support this policy change. We will definitely not play any abstract colour games in terms of possible coalition partners. We will lead an independent campaign based on our political content. Only by a generalised debate about our ideas will we be able to mobilise. A vote for DIE LINKE is a statement for open-mindedness and against racism. A vote for DIE LINKE is at the same time also a left protest against the current societal conditions. We say as well: we want to implement what we are asking for. We will govern if we can enforce a fundamental policy change with others. We want to improve our results of 2013. Our election goal is: 10 per cent plus x! With additional gains for DIE LINKE we want to make the option of a policy change possible.

Draft of federal election programme debated: For a future worth fighting for!

After the agreement on the campaign strategy the PEC debated about the first draft of the election programme. At the political start of the year of DIE LINKE on 13th and 14th January, the chairs will present the first draft of the election programme to the public. Subsequently four regional basic conferences will take place that are asked to further work on the draft.

Personnel settled: Party executive announces top team for federal elections

After the strategy and the first debate on the election programme the PEC, after a joint discussion with the Land party chairs, also decided about the top team for the federal elections 2017.

The PEC announces Sahra Wagenknecht and Dietmar Bartsch as prime candidates for federal elections 2017. The campaign will be jointly let by a top team of our party chairs Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger as well as the prime candidates Sahra and Dietmar. I am looking forward to support the top team as campaign manager.

Furthermore, we agreed to develop the communication strategy for the campaign together with the top team. Decisions on the election programme as well as political decisions after the elections will be made by the party and her chairs in close cooperation with the prime candidates.

Further reslutions and debates

The PEC approvingly acknowledged the proposal of the party chairs to nominate Heinz Bierbaum for the political secretariat of the European Left. The federal committee is asked to finalise this question at its next meeting.

Furthermore agreements were found for the following issues:

• commemoration of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht on 15th January 2017
• Political Ash Wednesday 2017 in Passau/Bavaria
• On the Festival of the Left next year
• On participation at G20 protests in Hamburg in July 2017
• On stopping the free trade agreement TiSA
• On the further planning for the campaign "Stand up against racism"
• On the support of the alliance "Redistribute wealth - for a just country for everyone!"

Dear comrades, for the whole party and our upcoming federal election campaign this weekend was a desicive step and success for all of us. The PEC proved his capacity to act while facing difficult decisions. We set the course for an uphill struggle awaiting us for federal election, which we will lead combatively nonetheless. The new year can come!

Some of you I will yet see before Christmas, to all others I hereby send my wishes for a delightful season, relaxing holidays and a happy New Year!