Executive Committee Meeting, February 25-26, 2017

Dear Comrades, last weekend the Party Executive Committee (PEC) again debated the first draft of the election programme. Following the regional conferences, which mainly responded positively to the draft, we debated the main points of the programme which the members of the PEC felt the need to talk about. Main points of the debates were social and European policy. Until the PEC meeting of 1st and 2nd April the editorial group will present a revised draft of the election programme, taking into account the reactions from the debate, the regional conferences as well as remarks from the PEC and the parliamentary group of DIE LINKE.

Only a strong LINKE guarantees a policy change!

Sunday morning we had a strategical debate on the consequences of the Social Democrats' candidate Martin Schulz. It was considered positive that he announced a campaign of social justice which would direct the debate towards our political playing field. Schulz could open a campaign which would break up the paralysing 'there is no alternative'-policy of Merkel. The hype around Schulz mainly demonstrates the growing hope for political change in society. This also leads to our approval ratings slightly decreasing. Many people wish for a social policy but they want it to be implemented as well. Currently, they rather associate this with Schulz as a possible new power factor. In this constellation, we are facing the challenge to emphasize why DIE LINKE is needed; not only to replace Merkel but her policy as well, to end the policy of the great coalition. Only a strong DIE LINKE is a guarantee for a policy change. The announced - cautious - corrections of the so called Agenda 2010 lead towards the right direction. This shows as well: DIE LINKE has an impact. We can indeed chalk up the announcements as a success because this is what we asked from the social democrats for years already. Now it is essential that they do not remain pledges before the elections but that deeds will follow. Therefore, a strong LINKE is needed. Schulz yet needs to prove his credibility. Many of the things he announced could already be implemented today in Bundestag with the votes of LINKE and greens. He leaves himself every door open after elections. Voters cannot tell what will happen to their vote if they ballot for Schulz. All this shows: Without a strong DIE LINKE not much will come of social justice. We do not only talk, we move forward for a social turn around in autumn. All the talk about Schulz must not let us forget the contention with Merkel and Seehofer, head of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria.

Among other current topics we debated about the successful candidacy of Christop Butterwegge for Federal President and his great results at the Federal Convention. Many thanks again from the PEC for his readiness to run for DIE LINKE! In view of the security conference we discussed the issue of military build-up of the Bundeswehr. We will address the question of military spending during the campaign with concrete proposals for disarmement and shrinking the military budget. The PEC, in a resolution, declared its solidarity with the democratic forces promoting "Hayir" (No) at the constitutional referendum in Turkey. The introduction of a presidential system would formally abolish parliamentarian democracy in Turkey. Further topics included the tarriff agreement in Public Services, the debate about the Opel take over and Greece.

I want to emphasize that the party executive board last Monday met with the party federal working group for communal policy. Issues were the cooperation with the presidency of the German Town Council, the question how to better communicate successes of communal policy, the work with young talents for communal offices and a communal check of our policy.

The committee for political education presented its report on the work, planning and understanding of education for 2017. The PEC thanked for the work done so far by the committee. Especially, Harald Werner has to be thanked, who was called as spokesperson for education already by the former PEC. After the report and debate we resolved the new appointment of the committee and wish success for the further work.

Professor Jürgen Hofmann and Daniela Fuchs, spokespersons for the historical committee also presented their report and a proposal on the preparation of a central conference on the epochal break of 1914-1923 in the next year. The PEC thanked the members of the historical committee for their voluntary work, special thanks go to the leaving members Günter Benser, Ludwig Elm, Jochen Cerny and Lothar Hornbogen. The conference on an epochal break of 1914-1923 was agreed on unanimously, the new appointment of the committee will be dealt with at the next meeting of the PEC.

The PEC debated and resolved the budget 2017.

We announced the party congress in Hanover, the second session of the fifth party congress of DIE LINKE, and agreed on the budget. The party congress will take place from 9th to 11th June 2017 in Hannover Congress Centrum (Theodor-Heuss-Platz 1-3, 30175 Hannover). The party congress starts on 9th June at 3 pm. In future, the women's plenary will be an integral part of the congress and will be suggested as second point of the agenda.

Further:

• We support the call of the alliance for International Women's Day and call for the demonstration on Wednesday, 8th March in Berlin. DIE LINKE supports the alliance financially as well.
• The PEC agreed to support the protests against the federal congress of the Alternative for Germany in Cologne on 22nd April 2017.
• Within the framework of protests against the G20 summit in Hamburg on 7th and 8th July, DIE LINKE takes part in several actions. Main point will be the demonstration on 8th July in Hamburg. We support the call "Borderless solidarity instead of G20".
• The PEC declares its solidarity with the campaign "Jobstown Not Guilty" and the accused activists in Ireland.
• We agreed on a resolution regarding higher education policy on the development of dual study programmes.
• On 30th May 2017 the PEC will realise a party evening on occasion of the 39th General Assembly of the German Towns' Day 2017 in Nuremberg.