Pragmatic left

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The Pragmatic Left (PL) is a current within the Jusos in the Social Democratic Party of Germany .

Self-image

The Pragmatic Left sees itself as an alliance of undogmatic young social democrats that transcends the current division of reform socialists, the left center network and traditionalists. Different political orientations are united under one roof with the aim of realpolitical demands. Membership in the PL is therefore heterogeneous, ranging from Jusos close to Seeheimers to members of the DL 21 forum . The basic conviction of the PL is that social politics must recognize realities in order to be able to act politically. A system change in favor of a policy of small steps is rejected. The focus of social policy is the idea of ​​equal opportunities, which must apply to every person at every point in life. A strong and efficient welfare state is required. Often reference is made to Scandinavian welfare state models. The PL also stands for moderate budget policy and emphasizes the importance of ecological economic policy.

history

Nationwide, the pragmatic left was constituted at the federal party congress of the SPD in October 2007 , supported by members from the state associations and districts of Hamburg , Baden-Württemberg , and Hesse- South as well as Bavaria , Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt .

Independently of this, a movement called the Pragmatic Left was first founded in August 2005 in the sub-district of Cologne . There raged for years of wing battles with the Marxist- oriented “Juso Left” (JL) until it broke up in 2005 and 2006 after the change of leading JL members - including the chairman of the Cologne Jusos - to the WASG . Since the election in February 2007, the sub-district of Cologne has been dominated by the PL, which provides the chairman and a large number of the board members. However, this changed in February 2017 after a fight vote by the chairman, which was decided in favor of a non-PL candidacy.

In February 2008 , PL.NRW was founded in North Rhine-Westphalia . Jusos from the subdistricts of Cologne and Bergisch Gladbach as well as members of the left Lower Rhine, from the Bergisches Land and other parts of North Rhine-Westphalia were involved. Like the PL Cologne, the PL.NRW is based on its own basic understanding of the content, which, however, is largely similar to that of the nationwide PL. In contrast to the Federal PL, the PL.NRW and PL Cologne are committed to democratic socialism and a socialist reform policy. In the state association of North Rhine-Westphalia they are therefore counted among the undogmatic.

structure

At the federal level, there are three elected speakers as well as loose alliance structures made up of Juso state associations and regional PL groups. Common positions are either developed from within the branches and regional associations or among the regional groups. The structure within the regional groups is different. In Cologne, for example, there is a plenary assembly as the highest decision-making body , and a coordinator group (KoK) takes on organizational tasks. The structure of PL.NRW is similar.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ [http://www.pragmatische-linke.org/wir-uber-uns We about us] (September 6, 2012: Link commented out due to possible virus attack)
  2. ↑ taz article on resignation
  3. ^ PL North Rhine-Westphalia
  4. ↑ What we want ( Memento from November 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive )