• Berlin
  • MLPD (Germany’s Marxist-Leninist Party)

Berlin

MLPD (Germany’s Marxist-Leninist Party)

Image for MLPD (Germany’s Marxist-Leninist Party)

“Join the class struggle.”

Founded in 1982, the MLPD is one of the four radical-left parties to run in this year’s elections (with two ‘Germany Communist’ parties and Trotzkyist PSG). They’re calling for “genuine socialism”… the kind that existed under the Soviet Union and in Mao’s China. The MLPD boasts 2400 members (43 percent women) and assets worth about €15 million. Led by former metalworker Stefan Engel since 1982, the party runs the youth organisations “Rebell” and “Rotfüchse”, in which teenagers and kids are educated according to Maoist principles.

Results last elections: 0.1 percent

Historical high: 0.4 percent in Sachsen-Anhalt in 2006

Candidates: Present in 16 states, mostly in North-Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. In Berlin: 11 on party list and three direct.

Why vote for your party? Because you want a radical left-wing, revolutionary and socialist alternative to the capitalist social system.

Your best slogan? “Radical left, revolutionary – real socialism.”

Your most innovative idea? A social system that is based on real socialism.

Make a constitutional change… The Grundgesetz contains a range of democratic rights and basic liberties that we want to defend and develop. The main problem is the preservation of capitalist private property by all means.

Immigration? We’re against the subordination of immigrants in the capitalist society. We appeal to all immigrants in Germany to join the class struggle.

The euro? For German super-monopolies the eurozone is a necessity to maintain power, a gigantic source of economic enrichment. A re-introduction of the deutschmark is only possible by means of a new currency reform and a deflation of mass property.

The NSA scandal? We are campaigning for the disbandment of the Verfassungsschutz (Germany’s internal secret service).

Berlin… needs to stop the construction of airport BER as well as autobahn A100 as soon as possible. We need a transport policy that develops inner-city public transport and keeps inter-city transport sensible concerning environmental issues.

Veganism? We advocate a healthy lifestyle, which includes reducing meat consumption. However, it shouldn’t turn into a new religion. An individual’s diet won’t change fundamental problems like hunger or environmental issues.

Answers by Jörg Weidemann, spokesperson and editor-in-chief of party magazine “Rote Fahne”