Executive Committee Meeting, November 11, 2017

Dear Comrades, the Party Executive Committee (PEC) dealt with government formation. So far, the parties involved have agreed on close to nothing. What is known by now will lead to a government of the rich and to a freezing social atmosphere. The climate goals will most likely become the first victims of the negotiations. Many LINKE members have been very active during protests against the climate summit in Brussels - the PEC thanked them for that.

Many PEC members stressed that treatment of right-wing populist party AfD may not become normalised or belittled. DIE LINKE will be present during protests against the AfD congress in Hanover on 2nd December. Creeping shifts to the right must be fought as well, as is demonstrated by court proceedings against a doctor who, on her website, suggests the option of abortion.

The dramatic famine in Yemen is not only caused by Saudi Arabia's actions but exacerbated now by the Saudis blocking all traffic routes. Saudi Arabia does not only receive arms from Germany but produces weapons itself with German licences. Our party must announce this scandal more publicly.

Further issues were the outrage about the Paradise Papers, the repression in Catalonia and the IG Metall union initiative on the reduction of working hours. The party supports movements and strikes in hospitals in various places. More and more citizens' alliances are found, often with participation of Die LINKE.

The PEC acknowledged the budgeting of the third quarter of 2017 and the final budget of the election campaign. Among others, it adopted resolutions on the call for the Clara Zetkin Women's Award, on the political Ash Wednesday 2018 in Passau and the Year of Karl Marx in Trier. In full mourning it commemorated its member Dominic Heilig who recently passed away.

Regarding the resignation of Party Secretary Matthias Höhn the PEC resolved: "The Party Executive Committee regrets the decision of Matthias Höhn to resign from his office as Party Secretary. It thanks Matthias Höhn for five and a half years of successful work as Party Secretary and election campaign manager for two federal elections and one European election.

The Party Executive Committee states that the office of Party Secretary needs to be appointed by election of a party congress. The next party congress will take place from 8. to 10 June, 2018, until then the office of Party Secretary remains vacant.

The Party Executive Committee conveys all tasks of the Party Secretary as defined by the rules of procedure as well as all tasks of the administration until the election of a new Party Secretary to Harald Wolf. …"

Dear Comrades, I thank the PEC for the trust conferred to me. This has not been an easy decision for me but I am willing and motivated to perform the tasks of the administration until the congress the best possible. I am open and grateful to critique or hints anytime.

In Solidarity,

Harald Wolf