But if I may be so bold, I agree with the SPD in this particular case. The left party there has just been established. You first want to see if it can operate as a functional political unit. Policy differences aside. The left party in Bremen has already descended into petty infighting.

So, if the left party in Hessen can function as a good opposition party for four years, they can become a credible partner. Which, I think, is what they want to do themselves.

• It is one of the foundation myths of the modern SPD that they are the democratic socialists in contrast to the undemocratic socialists further left. This comes to play not only when thinking of the Eastern German progenidor of the Left Party, but also the former West German Communists in the Hessen branch.

• The Lafontaine factor: the West German co-leader of the federal Left Party was a leading SPD man before. Those who supported him strongly followed into the Left Party. Many of those who remained view him as traitor.

• For the Left Party, there is also the matter of simple survival: a just established party must fear too many compromises as junior partner in a government, i.e. that part of their voters will turn their backs on them, the rest go for a larger coalition partner next time.