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Topic: Oskar Lafontaine

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WikiLeaks: NSA phone tapped Merkel's aides, chancellery offices

World News // 8 years ago

WikiLeaks: NSA phone tapped Merkel's aides, chancellery offices

New documents issued by whistle-blower Wikileaks show that the U.S. National Security Agency has been spying on German officials for more than a decade.

German chancellor wants meeting with U.S. over espionage

World News // 8 years ago

German chancellor wants meeting with U.S. over espionage

German Chancellor Angela Merkel contacted the U.S. embassy in Berlin Thursday to set up a meeting about reports of espionage.

Special Reports // 1 decade ago

German leftists lose key leader

Germany loses one of its most controversial politicians as Left Party leader Oskar Lafontaine, once termed the most dangerous man in Europe, quits politics because of his poor health.

Special Reports // 1 decade ago

In Germany, Leftists eye breakthrough

In Germany, an alliance of former communists and disgruntled Social Democrats is hoping for a breakthrough in Sunday's federal elections.

Special Reports // 1 decade ago

Atlantic Eye: Stirring political potpourri

It might be game, set and match for Senator Obama, but the United States is still not out of domestic political turmoil. In international affairs the United States is worryingly out of the political loop. Halfway through 2008, here are my thoughts on some political happenings in the United States, Poland, Germany, Serbia, Zimbabwe, Georgia and Nepal.

Top News // 1 decade ago

German leader touts Marx ideas

A leader of Germany's Left Party said he is calling for portions of Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto to be officially adopted as official party policy.

Special Reports // 1 decade ago

Marx's manifesto revived in Germany

A top German far-left leader has called for parts of Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto to be adopted as policy for his party.

Special Reports // 1 decade ago

Atlantic Eye: Liquidate them if necessary

Forty six years ago, in August 1961, the Berlin Wall was built. Newly discovered documents show that "shoot to kill" orders were issued despite previous denials by then leaders of East Germany. In total 1,245 were murdered trying to escape.

Top News // 1 decade ago

Schroeder: No coalition with leftist union

Germany's Social Democrats will "definitely not" team up with a union of two leftist parties after the upcoming federal elections, top party officials said.

Top News // 1 decade ago

German labor protests smaller than hoped

The latest round of German labor protests drew about 70,000 demonstrators Monday, fewer than expected and fewer than the week before.

Quotes

I am a political person, and this decision was not easy for me
German leftists lose key leader Jan 26, 2010

Oskar Lafontaine (German pronunciation: ; born September 16, 1943, Saarlouis-Roden) is a German politician, former German finance minister, former chairman of the Social Democratic Party and former prime minister of the state of Saarland. Currently he is co-chairman of The Left.

He rose to prominence locally as mayor of Saarbrücken and became more widely known as a critic of chancellor Helmut Schmidt's support for the NATO plan to deploy Pershing II missiles in Germany. From 1985 to 1998 he served as prime minister of the Saarland. In this position he struggled to preserve the industrial base of this state which was based on steel production and coal mining with subsidies, and served as President of the Bundesrat in 1992/93.

In the German federal election of 1990, he was the SPD's Chancellor candidate. The party was defeated due to the national euphoria following the reunification. During the campaign he was attacked with a knife by a mentally deranged woman after a speech in Cologne. His carotid artery was slashed and he remained in a critical condition for several days.

FULL ARTICLE AT WIKIPEDIA.ORG

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It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Oskar Lafontaine."