Germany’s Left Party is shut out of government, but remains a powerful player in German politics

The Left Party (Die Linke) received 11.9% of the vote in the 2009 German federal elections, and was predicted to comfortably clear the country’s 5 per cent threshold in the September 2013 vote. Jonathan Olsen outlines the party’s recent history and its role in the German party system. He notes that although the Left Party appears willing to enter into coalition with the other major parties, it is not viewed as a viable coalition partner. Despite being shut out of government, the party nevertheless remains an important part of German politics.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: German federal election, 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-federal-election-2013/

Wikipedia: The Left (Germany) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Left_%28Germany%29

Website: Die Linke http://www.die-linke.de/

The Local.de, 16.09.13: The Left Party (Die Linke) http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20130916-51939.html

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