Seeing red: The SPD-PDS coalition government in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

German Studies Review

Volumn 23, Issue 3, 2000, Pages 556-580

  Olsen, Jonathan ^a  

^a NONE

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 0034288435     PISSN: 01497952     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2307/1432833     Document Type: Article

References (86)

1. Source: www-public.rz.uni-duesseldorf.de/~nordsiew/ostlaender.html, June 13, 1999.
2. Thomas Freund, Regierungssprecher, interview with author, June 30, 1999.
3. Ibid.
4. Source: www-public.rz.uni-duesseldorf.de/~nordsiew/ostlaender.html, June 13, 1999.
5. Quoted in Wilfred Erdmann, "CDU ist der erste Gesprächspartner," Ostsee Zeitung, October 19, 1994, 3.
6. Ostsee Zeitung, October 26, 1994, 1.
7. Ostsee Zeitung, October 19, 1994, 1.
8. Ostsee Zeitung, October 19, 1994, 3; October 20, 1994, 3.
9. Ostsee Zeitung, October 19, 1994, 3; October 20, 1994, 3.
10. Thomas Freund, Regierungssprecher, interview with author, June 30, 1999.
11. Quoted in Ostsee Zeitung, October 20, 1994, 2.
12. Barbara Syrbe, Stellvertretende Regierungssprecherin, interview with author, July 1, 1999.
13. Ostsee Zeitung, October 24, 1994, 3
14. Barbara Syrbe, Stellvertretende Regierungssprecherin, interview with author, July 1, 1999.
15. Ostsee Zeitung, December 12, 1994, 1.
16. Reinhard Dankert, Parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer der SPD-Fraktion, interview with author, July 1, 1999. See also the interview with Ringstorff in the Ostsee Zeitung, September 7, 1998, 3.
17. Thomas Freund, Regierungssprecher, interview with author, June 30, 1999.
18. The publicly owned wharfs of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania were initially sold through the Treuhand to the firm AG Vulcan. When the company itself suffered financial difficulties the wharfs were sold back to Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. Negotiations between Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and the federal government centered on what kind of financial support Schwerin would receive from Bonn in taking on the financial burden of the wharfs.
19. Ostsee Zeitung, April 17, 1996, 1.
20. Thoralf Cleven, "Kapitän Harald Ringstorff ging als Sieger vom Feld," Ostsee Zeitung, December 2, 1996, 4.
21. Barbara Syrbe, Stellvertretende Regierungssprecherin, interview with author, July 1, 1999.
22. Anette Pröber, "Ohne Koalitionsausage in den Wahlkampf," Ostsee Zeitung, June 23, 1997, 4.
23. Nikolaus Voss, director of the SPD-campaign in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, interview with author, June 28, 1999.
24. Source: www-public.rz.uni-duesseldorf.de/~nordsiew/ostlaender.html, June 13, 1999.
25. Ibid., 109-11.
26. Reinhard Dankert, Parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer der SPD, interview with author, July 1, 1999.
27. U. Schmidt, 52.
28. N. Werz/J. Schmidt, 99.
29. Ibid., 111.
30. Ostsee Zeitung, October 6, 1998, 4.
31. Ostsee Zeitung, October 6, 1998, 4. Even this more measured approach to the PDS was unsatisfactory to several party members. These party members left the SPD just before the 1998 election and formed a new party, the "Sozial-Liberal Partei" (SLP). The SLP performed disastrously in the election.
32. Thoralf Cleven, "Ein bißchen Harmonie," Ostsee Zeitung, October 8, 1998, 4.
33. Der Spiegel 41/1998, 97.
34. Ostsee Zeitung October 10, 1998, 4; October 21, 1998, 4; October 22, 1998, 1; October 24, 1998, 1.
35. Ostsee Zeitung October 10, 1998, 4; October 21, 1998, 4; October 22, 1998, 1; October 24, 1998, 1.
36. Ostsee Zeitung October 10, 1998, 4; October 21, 1998, 4; October 22, 1998, 1; October 24, 1998, 1.
37. Ostsee Zeitung October 10, 1998, 4; October 21, 1998, 4; October 22, 1998, 1; October 24, 1998, 1.
38. Ostsee Zeitung, October 10, 1998, 4.
39. Thus the SPD agreed to the introduction of the Orientierungsstufe, agreed to raise the amount of new public spending and to set a longer time-table for reducing the deficit, reached a compromise on public employment programs by agreeing to a "model" program for 500 new state sector positions, backed the PDS' request that (in contrast to the previous government) Gauck commission background checks on members of parliament would be done only on a voluntary basis (in line with the method of the Bundestag), and agreed that in cases of disputes within the coalition the state would withhold its vote in the Bundesrat. For its part, the PDS acceded to the SPD's demand for budget discipline (including the necessity for spending cuts in some social programs), agreed to the SPD's plan for a 50 million DM increase for local and communal governments (instead of the 260 million it had sought), and compromised on its proposal for state sector employment programs by agreeing that 1000 new positions would be approved only if the state's finances - and improved budget discipline - made this possible
40. According to a compromise decision reached by the PDS leadership before the special Parteitag to discuss the coalition, more than a simple majority was required in order to vote yes on a coalition with the SPD. Instead, two thirds of all delegates to the Parteitag had to vote yes in order for the coalition to go forward. See Thoralf Cleven, "Holter führt PDS über einen schmalen Grat," Ostsee Zeitung, October 29, 1998, 4.
41. "Vereinbarung zwischen der Sozialdemokratischen Partei Deutschlands, Landesverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, und der Fraktion der Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands im Landtag von Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, einerseits (im folgenden beide SPD genannt), und der Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, Landesverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. und der Fraktion der Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus im Landtag von Mecklenburg-Vorpommern andererseits (im folgenden beide PDS genannt), über die Bildung einer Koalitionsregierung für die 3. Legislaturperiode des Landtages von Mecklenburg-Vorpommern," 1.
42. Ibid.
43. Quoted in Toralf Staud, "Die rote Provinz," Die Zeit 19, May 4, 2000, 5.
44. Toralf Staud quotes the stellvertretende Stasi-Beauftragte, Jochin Schmidt, as saying that under the new coaliton government "die Maßstäbe verschieben." While before there was a genuine desire to come to grips with the past, today it is treated as "ein Klotz am Bein." "Die rote Provinz," Die Zeit 19, May 4, 2000, 5.
45. According to Reinhard Danken of the SPD, for example, there have been more regular meetings between cabinet members as well as leaders of the SPD and PDS parliamentary groups in the first year of the coalition than there were during the entire time of the previous CDU-SPD coalition. Interview with author, July 1, 1999.
46. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 8, 8/1998, 20.
47. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 8, 8/1998, 20-23.
48. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 9, 1/1999, 17-18.
49. Koplin had long admitted his role as an IM for the Stasi, yet new allegations surfaced concerning the depth of his involvement.
50. 48 "Der Zauber der Genossen," Der Spiegel 3, January 18, 1999, 29.
51. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 9, 3/1999, 8.
52. Offenes Blatt (PDS), Jahrgang 9, 4/Juni 1999, 4.
53. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 9, 3/1999, 9.
54. Gerd Böttger, PDS Landtagsabgeordneter, interview with author, June 29, 1999.
55. Thoralf Cleven, correspondent for the Ostsee Zeitung, interview with author, June 29, 1999.
56. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 9, 2/1999, 4.
57. Thoralf Cleven, "Land muß Gürtel enger schnallen," Ostsee Zeitung, June 24, 1999, 4.
58. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtags Nachrichten, Jahrgang 9, 2/1999, 7
59. Barbara Syrbe, Stellvertretende Regierungssprecherin (PDS), interview with author, July 1, 1999.
60. "Die Eiertanz der PDS," Der Spiegel, 33, August 16, 1999, 56-58.
61. "Ein Jahr Rote-Rote in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - selbstbewusst, aber nicht selbstzufrieden," PDS Pressedienst, Nr. 44/99, 12.
62. "Vereinbarung zwischen der Sozialdemokratischen Partei Deutschlands, Landesverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, und der Fraktion der Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands im Landtag von Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, einerseits (im folgenden beide SPD genannt), und der Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, Landesverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern und der Fraktion der Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus im Landtag von Mecklenburg-Vorpommern andererseits (im folgenden beide PDS genannt), über die Bildung einer Koalitionsregierung für die 3. Legislaturperiode des Landtages von Mecklenburg-Vorpommern," 20.
63. "Kauffold-Papier irritiert die PDS," Schweriner Volkszeitung, November 13, 1999, on-line at www.svz.de.
64. Part VII, Section 1, paragraph 127 of the coalition agreement speaks of me timing and implementation of these reforms in only the most general way, referring only of the eventual introduction of the orientation phase and restructuring of the school system: "In der Legislaturperiode werden die notwendigen Maßnahmen für den langfristigen Obergang zur sechsjährigen Grundschule eingeleitet."
65. Wolfgang Rex, "SPD gefährdet die Koalition: PDS wirft dem Regierungspartner Vertragsbruch in der Bildung vor," Neues Deutschland, November 19, 1999, 1.
66. Ibid.
67. "SPD und PDS einigen sich im Streit um Orientierungsstufe," Schweriner Volkszeitung, Feburary 10, 2000, on-line at www.svz.de.
68. 61 "Streit um Schulpolitik in der Koalition beigelegt," Schweriner Volkszeitung, February 10, 2000, on-line at www.svz.de.
69. Wolfgang Rex, "Kein Ende im Koalitionsstreit," Neues Deutschland, Feburary 23, 2000, 5.
70. "PDS kündigt Kompromiss zur Schulpolitik auf," Schweriner Volkszeitung, March 10, 2000, on-line at www.svz.de.
71. During this party congress - originally conceived as a very ordinary meeting to inform the PDS membership about financial matters in the coalition - more orthodox leftists in the party submitted a proposal to call a special party congress later in the month to debate the ending of the coalition. This motion was nevertheless defeated and an alternative motion was passed calling on the SPD to hold to its original agreement on the school reform issue as stated in the coalition agreement. If the SPD refused, the PDS would then not feel itself bound by two specific points of the coalition agreeement - Paragraph 208, which sets the upper limit for net credit taken on by the state, and Paragraph 217, which sets up a special committee to discuss the issue of majority voting in the legislature. See "PDS will Koalition nicht sprengen," Schweriner Volkszeitung, March 13, 2000, on-line at www.svz.de.
72. Wolfgang Rex, "Minister Holter sieht allein in der SPD einen strategischen Partner," Neues Deutschland, November 9, 1999, 1; "Kritik an Holters Vorliebe für SPD," Neues Deutschland, November 10, 1999, 4.
73. Wolfgang Rex, "Minister Holter sieht allein in der SPD einen strategischen Partner," Neues Deutschland, November 9, 1999, 1; "Kritik an Holters Vorliebe für SPD," Neues Deutschland, November 10, 1999, 4.
74. Wolfgang Rex, "Noch ein Versuch von Holter," Neues Deutschland, December 10, 1999, 5.
75. Guest column from Bunge, "Muss die PDS ihre Wähler enttäuschen?" Neues Deutschland, November 5, 1999, 14.
76. Wolfgang Rex, "Auch Sozialhaushalt wird gekürtz," Neues Deutschland, December 17, 1999, 5.
77. For a refreshing discussion of the toleration government in Saxony-Anhalt, see Meredith A. Heiser-Durón, "Saxony-Anhalt: A Model?" Paper prepared for the German Studies Association Meeting, Salt Lake City, November 1998.
78. Thus for example Rüdiger Dambroth, in a recent issue of Politische Studien (Heft 360, 49. Jahrgang, Juli/August 1998), argues that "for the sole goal of achieving power" Ringstorff and the SPD in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania have helped the PDS, "ultimately serving the interest of a still anti-democratic party." (35) cf. Eckhard Jesse," SPD and PDS Relationships," German Politics 6, No.3 (December 1997), in which Jesse argues that such coalitions will undercut the democratic consensus and weaken the resolve to fight political extremism.
79. Thus for example Rüdiger Dambroth, in a recent issue of Politische Studien (Heft 360, 49. Jahrgang, Juli/August 1998), argues that "for the sole goal of achieving power" Ringstorff and the SPD in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania have helped the PDS, "ultimately serving the interest of a still anti-democratic party." (35) cf. Eckhard Jesse," SPD and PDS Relationships," German Politics 6, No.3 (December 1997), in which Jesse argues that such coalitions will undercut the democratic consensus and weaken the resolve to fight political extremism.
80. "Freiheit statt Sozialismus," Taz, April 10, 2000, on-line at www.taz.de.
81. "Nun will Höppner koalieren," Neues Deutschland, April 27, 2000, 1.
82. For a discussion of the Münster congress that doesn't view it as a complete disaster for the reform wing of the PDS see "Alles eine Frage der Optik," Die Zeit 16, April 13, 2000, 6.
83. Gerd Böttger, PDS Landtagsabgeordneter, interview with author, June 28, 1999; Reinhard Dankert, SPD Parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer, interview with author, July 1, 1999.
84. Gerd Böttger, PDS Landtagsabgeordneter, interview with author, June 28, 1999; Reinhard Dankert, SPD Parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer, interview with author, July 1, 1999.
85. "SPD feiert ihren zehnten Geburtstag," Schweriner Volkszeitung, March 10, 2000, on-line at www.svz.de.
86. Gero Neugebauer and Richard Stöss, Die PDS. Geschichte. Organisation. Wähler. Konkurrenten. Opladen: Leske + Budrich, 1996.