Sinn Féin Dáil election success hailed by German and Greek left-wing parties

LEFT-WING PARTIES in Germany and Greece have sent congratulations to Sinn Féin on their success in the Dáil general election, rising from 14 to 23 seats.

Die Linke (Left Party) has 64 seats in the German Parliament, the Bundestag, and is the fourth largest party in Germany.

MEP Cornelia Ernst, spokesperson in the European Parliament for Die Linke, said:

“We appreciate the good election results of our Irish sister party Sinn Féin.”

Noting the achievements of Sinn Féin and Independent members of the GUE/NGL Group in the European Parliament which Die Linke is part of, Cornelia said:

“They worked tirelessly in recent weeks against the substantive narrowing of the election campaign by the two ruling parties. Unlike Fine Gael and the Labour Party, they focused on the precarious situations of the people, not on the recovery of a few economic branches.”

She said that the reported economic growth had passed many people by. “It drove too many of them to the edge of the poverty line instead. The supposed economic recovery affects only a small part of society and the unemployment figures are subject to a similar whitewashing as we experience in Germany since the Agenda 2010.”

She added:

“We deeply congratulate our friends from Ireland on their great results and support them in their cause.

“The ignorant austerity policies for the sake of the banks must give way to a policy for the benefit of the society as a whole, finally, and nothing else.”

Greece's Popular Unity party (formed last year after 25 MPs split from SYRIZA over Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's handling of the bailout agreement) narrowly missed out on winning seats in the Greek Parliament last September.

Popular Unity (Laiki Enotita) said it would like to congratulate Sinn Féin “for the highly positive outcome that achieved and its designation as the third political power in the country”.

The Greek comrades said this result contributes greatly to the struggle against austerity both in Ireland and in Europe.

“Moreover, it enhances and enforce the Left and its ideological and political programme against the consent of the traditional social democratic and conservative parties that faithfully serve and realise the neoliberal dictates .

“We believe that Sinn Féin can contribute to the defeat of neoliberalism and imperialism that, especially in this moment, have created wars and the massive refugee flows.

“Moreover, we believe that Sinn Féin can contribute to the halt and defeat of 'Fortress Europe', where racism, extreme-right politics and xenophobia constitute the weapons of the European oligarchy.”

The message ended:

“An assertive and insubordinate Left can and must contribute dynamically to our common struggle to break the stranglehold around us.”

SYRIZA itself – also a member of the GUE/NGL Group in the European Parliament – sent a message too:

“On behalf of the SYRIZA delegation in the European Parliament, let me congratulate you for your recent electoral results and for your long-lasting dedication to the anti-austerity struggle.

“Now it is time for all of the Left and progressive forces in Europe to be united against the neoliberal doctrine. Now it is time to build another Europe of democracy, social justice and prosperity.

“We will continue to walk our common paths of struggle in Europe and we are sure that these paths will lead our people to a better world.”