New Left Review I/227, January-February 1998

Oskar Lafontaine

The Future of German Social Democracy

[. . .] Over the past few years, we have not only achieved greater unity in the party, we have also refocused the image of the Social Democrats. [1] This is an extract of the text of the speech by Oskar Lafontaine, chair of the spd, to the spd Conference, Hanover, 2-4 December 1997. All footnotes have been provided by the translator. In recent times, throughout the years of Kohl’s government, something has gone missing from our society—something which is essential for the proper functioning of society. I am speaking of a sense of public spiritedness, a sense of social responsibility, a sense of social justice. In the light of all the mistakes of the recent past, it has become necessary to announce once more the fact that a large party exists that, like no other party, absolutely insists on upholding social justice. There is a large party that says ‘yes’ to protection against wrongful dismissal in the workplace, a party that says ‘yes’ to the continued payment of wages when workers fall ill, a party that says ‘yes’ to earnings-related unemployment benefit and fights against any reductions, that says ‘yes’ to income support and fights against reductions. We want a country where social justice rules. That is why we are the German Social Democratic Party.

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