Lafontaine rules?

[Johannes Schneider]

John K. Taber wrote:
>Lafontaine tried to get his man appointed to an important post (sorry,
>I don't recall either the man or the post) and Schroeder succeeded
>in blocking it. But Schroeder tried to get his man (Muenterfing?
>something like that) into the post, and that too was blocked.
>
Just to clear up the confusion. The post was leader of the SPD in
parliament. Muentefering actually was Lafontaines choice and it was not a
power struggle between Schroeder and Lafontaine, but the former chairman of
the SPD Scharping, who wanted to stay in office as leader of SPD in
parliament. At the end of the day Lafontaine and Schroeder succeeded in
putting Scharping as minister of defense. The new leader of the SPD in
parliament is Struck.
By being removed from the post his former post and becoming minister of
defense Scharping lost his last independent power base. This was the
ultimate goal of Schroeder and Lafonataine
>To me, it looks like the beginnings of a power struggle for
>supremacy in the SPD.
For the reasons above, I dont think so. The block Lafontaine-Schroeder looks
quite solid. But this could change as soon as recession hits Germany. At the
moment the new government as annouced some tax changes that will result in
moderate cuts for the majority of the working class.
>BTW, Lafontaine is the proud author along with his wife of
>"Keine Angst vor der Globalisierung" (Nothing to Fear from
>Globalization).
>It sure makes me wonder just how left the new government will
>be.
I agree, the difference between Schroeder is mostly one of rhetorics. They
just serve to different constituencies: Schroeder his new center and
Lafontaine the traditional SPD party member.
Johannes