Germany’s pseudo-left Marx21 hails Martin Schulz as the “revival of Social Democracy”

 

Germany’s pseudo-left Marx21 hails Martin Schulz as the “revival of Social Democracy”

By
Ulrich Rippert

3 March 2017

The pseudo-left group Marx21 is hailing the Social Democrats’ (SPD) chancellor candidate Martin Schulz as a “reaction against Trump and the rise of the right worldwide,” and as the “revival of left-wing reformism.”

In a document the group, which is active inside the Left Party, wrote, “The process of reviving social democratic parties, which fell into a deep crisis due to their market-liberal orientation, can be successful because apparently more left-wing leading figures have come forward in these parties. Martin Schulz clearly stands up to the right wing, calls for more social justice and intends to position the SPD alongside the trade unions for higher wages for ‘hard-working people.’”

Marx21 referred to invitations to discuss “red-red-green options for government” as “poisonous,” writing, “The left-wing rhetoric from Schulz will not fundamentally alter the market- and business-friendly policies of the SPD.” But this is merely a pro forma declaration.

In reality, Marx21 cannot wait to join a federal government under Schulz’s leadership. Their parliamentary deputy, Christine Buchholz, who has previously accompanied the defence minister by plane to visit German troops in Africa, could then plan the German army’s future wars—disguised as “peace missions”—as state secretary

Schulz is mobilising “hopes for social change,” from which the left Party “should not cut itself off,” the paper states. The Left Party could “not simply stand on the sidelines and criticise,” but had to “promote and organise the struggle for social justice and against racism”—with Schulz’s SPD! And further, “Many…

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