federal statutes

8/18/2019 Federal Statutes

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Federal Statutes

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Federal Statutesof the political party DIE LINKE(Resolution of the congresses of the WASG and the Linkspartei.PDSheld on 24 and 25 March 2007 in Dortmund)


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Contents1. Mission and Name of the Party – Preamble 4

Article 1 Name, Seat, Purpose and Area of Activity

2. The Grass Roots of the Party 4

Article 2 Acquisition of membershipArticle 3 Termination of membershipArticle 4 Rights and duties of membersArticle 5 Guest membersArticle 6 Elected representativesArticle 7 Alliances inside the PartyArticle 8 Membership referendaArticle 9 Equal statusArticle 10 Gender democracyArticle 11 The youth organisation of the Party

3. The Structure of the Party 8

Article 12 Land organisationsArticle 13 District organisations

4. The Organs of the Party 9

Article 14 Organs of the Federal Party and its subdivisions.

Party Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Article 15 Tasks of the Party CongressArticle 16 Composition and election of the Party CongressArticle 17 Convening and functioning of the Party Congress

Party Executive Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Article 18 Tasks of the Party Executive CommitteeArticle 19 Composition and election of the Party Executive CommitteeArticle 20 Functioning of the Party Executive Committee.

Federal Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Article 21 Tasks of the Federal CommitteeArticle 22 Composition and election of the Federal CommitteeArticle 23 Functioning of the Federal Committee

5. The Finances of the Party 13

Article 24 The nancial resources of the PartyArticle 25 Financial planning and presentation of accountsArticle 26 Federal Financial CouncilArticle 27 Auditing

6. The General Rules of Procedure of the Party 14

Article 28 Publicity

Article 29 MotionsArticle 30 Invitation and QuorumArticle 31 Resolutions, ballots and electionsArticle 32 Exercise of Party ofce and parliamentary mandatesArticle 33 Termination of Party ofce and parliamentary mandatesArticle 34 Submitting (signing) nominationsArticle 35 Drawing up federal lists for elections to the European ParliamentArticle 36 Proposing constituency candidates and Land lists for elections to the German BundestagArticle 37 Arbitration and dispute resolution procedure

7. Transitional and Final Clauses 16

Article 38 Transitional clausesArticle 39 Final Clauses


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1. Mission and Name of the Party

Preamble

Rooted in the history of the Germanand the international labour movement,

n committed to the peace movementand to anti-fascism,

n close to the trade unions and new socialmovements,

n drawing from feminism and the ecologicalmovement,

democratic socialists and members of Labourand Social Justice – the Electoral Alternative,expanding their identity, are combining in a newparty, DIE LINKE, with the aim of strengtheningthe forces in the struggle for decent work andsocial justice, peace and sustainability in

development. DIE LINKE aspires to thedevelopment of a solidarity-based societyin which the liberty of each is the conditionfor the liberty of all. The new LINKE is pluraland open to everyone wishing to attainthe same goals by democratic means.

Article 1Name, Seat, Purpose and Area of Activity

(1) The name of the Party shall be DIE LINKE.That shall also also be the short term.

(2) It shall have the purpose of contributingto political decision-making at all political levelsin the spirit of its Programme, especially throughparticipation in elections.

(3) It shall be a Party in the meaning of theBasic Law and act on the basis of the Basic Law.Its area of activity shall be the Federal Republicof Germany.

(4) The seat of the Party shall be Berlin.

(5) The Party shall be a member of the Partyof the European Left (EL).

(6) It shall be registered as an association in theBerlin-Charlottenburg Register of Associations.

2. The Grass Roots of the Party

Article 2 Acquisition of membership

(1) Anyone who is over 14 years of age, defendsthe programmatic principles, recognises theFederal Statutes and does not belong to any otherparty in the meaning of the Parties Act can bea member of the Party.

See Transitional Clause 1

(2) Membership in the party is acquired by joining. Joining shall take place by means of a writtendeclaration of joining presented to the appropriatedistrict committee or the Party Executive Committee.

The district committee shall immediately announcethe joining with the consent of the member insuitable form in the district organisation in a party-open manner and inform the new member aboutthe opportunities he/she has to participate.

(3) The membership shall take effect six weeksafter receipt of the declaration of joining by thedistrict committee if there is no objection to themembership. If the member has not consentedto the party-open announcement of joining, aresolution of exception by the district committeeshall be required. The district party congress cangive effect to the membership by a resolution withimmediate effect before the six weeks are up.

(4) Until membership takes effect, every other

member of the Party shall have the right to appealagainst the acquisition of membership. The appealmust be made to the appropriate district commit-tee, giving reasons, and must be ruled on withoutdelay after hearing the member.

(5) Protest can be made to the appropriatearbitration committee against the decisionof the district committee.

(6) Every member of the Party shall belongto a district organisation, generally that for thedistrict in which they live. The federal Party shallmaintain a central membership le.

Article 3Termination of membership

81) Membership is terminated by withdrawal,expulsion or death.

(2) Withdrawal shall be declared in writing to theappropriate district committee.

(3) If a member pays no dues for six months thisshall be regarded as withdrawal from the Party ifthe member has previously been reminded to paythe unpaid dues and the member has been offereda consultation and no understanding has been

reached. The district executive shall declarewithdrawal and inform the member accordingly.In the event that the member appeals this decision


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to the arbitration committee, membership shallremain in effect pending a nal ruling.

(4) A member can be expelled by an arbitrationcommittee as the result of an orderly arbitrationprocedure corresponding to the rules of arbitrationand only if he/she has deliberately violated theStatutes or substantially violated the principles

or rules of the Party.

Article 4Rights and duties of members

(1) Every member shall have the right within theframework of this Federal Statutes and the rulesof procedure adopted

a) to share in opinion-forming and decision-making,to obtain information on all Party affairs and totake a position on them without hindrance,

b) to participate in events, elections, votes

and the committee work of the Party,c) to participate as guest in the discussionsat members’ assemblies, delegates’ conferencesand committees at all levels and to requestthe right to speak,

d) to submit motions to all party organs,

e) to combine with other members with thepurpose of exerting joint inuence in the Party,

f) to cooperate in proposing candidates for electionto parliaments, local representative bodies andother elected ofce and to run for such ofce

themselves.(2) Every member shall have the duty

a) to defend the principles of the Party Programmeand observe the Statutes,

b) to respect the decisions statutorily arrivedat by the Party organs,

c) to pay their statutory membership fees regularly,

d) not to run for parliaments, local representativebodies or other elected ofce in competitionto the Party.

Article 5Guest members

(1) Persons who promote the political aims andprojects of the Party without themselves beingmembers can cooperate in branches and alliancesof the Party and make use of the membershiprights accorded to them as guest members.Decisions on the according of membershiprights and their scope shall be made bythe relevant subdivisions and alliances.

(2) Rights not accordable to guest members are:

a) the right to vote in membership referenda,

b) the right to vote on resolutions concerning

statute matters, nancial arrangements, nanceplans and the use of nances and assets or onmatters of liability,

c) the right to stand for election to executive,arbitration and auditing committees. and torepresentative bodies for proposing candidatesfor parliaments and local representative

bodies and

d) the right to vote on proposals for candidatesfor parliaments and local representative bodies.

(3) The allocation of membership rights to guestmembers at various levels requires the approvalof the members at the level concerned orof the delegates’ assembly.

The record of resolutions must name the guestmembers and precisely state the extent and timelimitation of the rights accorded.

(4) The granting of the right to vote in a members’

assembly shall be limited to the current assembly.

(5) Financial donations to the Party shall notbe grounds for according membership rights.

Article 6Elected representatives

(1) Elected representatives in the meaning of theseStatutes are all persons who belong to a parliamentor local representative body on the nominationof the Party or are members of a governmentor elected municipal ofcers.

(2) Elected representatives shall have the righta) to take an active part in political decision-making in the Party,

b) to receive support from the Party in exercisingtheir mandate,

c) to be heard before any political decisionsare made pertaining to their mandate.

(3) Elected representatives shall have theobligation

a) to behave with loyalty and solidarity towardsthe Party,

b) to defend the programmatic principlesof the Party,

c) to take the democratic decision-makingin the Party into consideration when exercisingtheir mandate,

d) to pay elected representative contributionsin accordance with the federal nance rules,

e) to report to the Party organs at the relevantlevels and to the voters concerning the exerciseof their mandate.


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Article 7Alliances inside the Party

(1) The members are free to form alliancesinside the Party. These are not organisationallevels of the Party. They can choose a name thatexpresses their concept of themselves and theirafliation to the Party.

(2) Nation-wide alliances shall notify the PartyExecutive Committee of their work. An allianceis nation-wide if it represents at least twohundredths of the members or has beenrecognised as a Land-wide alliance in at leasteight Land associations. Diverging from that,the Federal Committee can recognise alliancesas nation-wide even if the preconditions arenot fully met.


(3) Alliances determine autonomously what

political and organisational contribution they willmake to the policy of the Party and to the furtherdevelopment of the membership, organisationaland communications structures of the Party.They shall be integrated into the work of theParty executive, committees and working bodiesat all levels in accordance with their prioritythemes.

(4) Alliances decide on their working methodsand their internal structure autonomously. Thesemust be in accordance with democratic principles.The Federal Statutes shall be applied analogouslyunless the statutes of a nation-wide allianceprovide otherwise.

(5) Alliances can join other organisations only withthe consent of the Party Executive Committee orthe committee of the relevant district organisation.

(6) Nation-wide alliances can send delegatesto the Party Congress.

(7) Nation-wide alliances shall receive funds fortheir work within the framework of the Finance Plan.

(8) Alliances that in their self-image, their resolu-tions or their political activity gravely and repeatedlycontravene the principles of the Programme,the Statutes or resolutions of principle of the Partycan be dissolved by a resolution of the PartyCongress or the Federal Committee.

(9) An appeal against a resolution to dissolveunder Paragraph 8 can be lodged with the FederalArbitration Committee.

Article 8Membership referenda

(1) A membership referendum (ballot vote) cantake place on all political issues. The result of themembership referendum has the rank of a PartyCongress resolution. In the event that the PartiesAct dictates that a task be performed by the Party

Congress, the membership referendum has thecharacter of a recommendation or conrmationof a resolution of the Party Congress.

(2) The membership referendum shall take place

a) on the application of Land and district organi-sations that together represent at least one

quarter of the members orb) on the application of eight Land organisations or

c) on the application of 5000 Party members or

d) on the decision of the Party Congress or

e) on the decision of the Federal Committee.

(3) All members shall be entitled to vote. Themotion underlying the membership referendumis adopted if a simple majority votes in favourand at least one quarter of the membershiptakes part.

(4) A matter concerning which a membershipreferendum has taken place can be voted onagain after two years at the earliest.

(5) The dissolution of the Party or its alliancewith another party absolutely requires a member-ship referendum to approve it. A correspondingresolution by the Party Congress shall beconsidered conrmed, amended or annulleddepending on the result of the membershipreferendum.

(6) Further particulars shall be set forth in Rules forMembership Referenda. The cost of a membership

referendum shall be met jointly by all districtorganisations.

Article 9Equal status

(1) The promotion of equal status of membersand prevention of every kind of discriminationconstitute one of the basic principles of thepolitical work of the Party. Any direct or indirectdiscrimination or exclusion shall be decisivelycountered by all Party members.

(2) The rights of social, ethnic and cultural

minorities in the membership, especially theright to self-determination, shall be given specialprotection by the committees of the Party andthe district organisations. Their representationand participation in the process of opinionformation and decision-making in the Partyshall be fostered.

The process of opinion forming and decision-making in the Party, its committee work and itspublic activity shall be organised by the commit-tees of the party and the district organisations insuch a way that working people, people raisingchildren or caring for other people, people withvery low incomes and people with disabilitiescan participate on an equal footing.


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(4) Qualied childcare will be provided for allpolitical events and bodies at the federal level.This offer applies regardless of the number ofchildren registered. The federal Party shall coverthe costs in full.

Article 10

Gender democracy(1) Political decision-making by women in the Partyshall be promoted actively. It is the aim of the Partythat women shall be neither discriminated againstnor hindered in their political work. Women shallhave the right to build their own structures withinthe Party and convene women’s plenums.

(2) In all assemblies and bodies of the Party,under the condition that a proper request is made,women and men shall alternate in speaking.Speakers’ lists shall be kept separate.

In all assemblies and bodies of the Party, on the

application of at least one quarter of the womenpresent with voting rights, the meeting shall beinterrupted for a women’s plenum. A nal decisionon a resolution or motion voted down in a women’s plenum can be made only after a further discus-sion by the whole meeting or the whole body.

(4) In elections for executive bodies, committees,working bodies and delegates, at least half thoseelected shall be women as a matter of principle.If that is not possible the mandates reserved forwomen shall remain unoccupied. A by-election canbe held at any time. District and local organisations

in which the proportion of women is less thanone fourth can resolve to make an exceptionin individual cases.

(5) When nominating candidates for parliamentsand local representative bodies, the Party shallwork towards at least fty per cent women in theparliamentary group. One of the rst two placeson lists of candidates and the odd positions fromthen on shall be reserved for women as longas women candidates are available. This shallnot affect the possibility for the meeting toreject individual female candidates.Lists of women only shall be possible.

Article 11The youth organisation of the Party

(1) With a statutes-changing majority the PartyCongress can recognise a youth organisationas the Party’s youth organisation if the followingconditions are met in the Statutes of the youthorganisation.

(2) All members of the Party up to the youthorganisation’s age limit shall be passive membersof the youth organisation unless they object. They

shall be informed of the activities of the youthorganisation and invited to its meetings. They arelisted as active members as soon as they have

registered with the youth organisation or takenpart in activities. The activation of membershipcan be called into question only in a proper youthorganisation arbitration procedure.

(3) Membership in the youth organisation shallnot be coupled with Party membership.

(4) The Party shall support the political workof the youth organisation and orient young peopletowards membership in the youth organisation.Within the context of its autonomy the youthorganisation shall support the political workof the Party.

(5) On the basis of the programmatic principlesand the provisions applicable to the youth organi-sation in these Federal Statutes of the Party theyouth organisation shall adopt a Programmeand its own Statutes. It shall organise its workautonomously. The youth organisation shallinform the Party about its activities.

(6) The youth organisation shall receive fundsfor its work depending on the number of memberswithin the framework of the Finance Plan.

(7) The youth organisation of the Party shall havethe right to propose motions in all organs of powerof the Party and the area organisations in which itis organised. The youth organisation shall electdelegates to the Party Congress and delegatetwo members to the Federal Committee.

(8) Paragraphs 1 to 7 shall apply to a universityassociation with the relevant modications.

A university association shall be a part of theyouth organisation.


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3. The Structure of the Party

Article 12Land organisations

(1) The Party shall be subdivided into Landorganisations. The subdivision shall correspond

to the federal Lander structure of the FederalRepublic of Germany. Within the legal bordersof a Land there shall be only one Landorganisation.

(2) Land organisations shall bear the nameDIE LINKE Land Organisation [Name of Land].

(3) The organs of a Land organisation shallbe at least the Land Party Congress and theLand Executive Committee. Land Party Congressesshall be held as delegate assemblies. The LandStatutes can provide for other organs. The Landchairpersons shall represent the Land organisa-

tions in and out of court and can grant powerof attorney for legal transactions.

(4) The Land organisations shall develop a pro-gramme corresponding to their regional conditionswithin the framework of the Party programme.

(5) The Land organisations shall arrange their ownaffairs by means of their own Statutes within theframework of the Federal Statutes.

(6) If Land organisations in their resolutionsand their political activity gravely and repeatedlycontravene the principles of the Programme, the

Statutes or resolutions of principle of the Party,those Land organisations or individual organsof those Land organisations can be dissolvedby a resolution of the Party Congress.The dissolution resolution shall requirea Statutes-amending majority. The resolutionmust also deal with the further procedure fordemocratic reconstitution. This shall not affectthe Party membership of the individual member.

(7) An appeal against a resolution to dissolveunder Paragraph 6 can be lodged with the FederalArbitration Committee. Pending nal decision,the legal capacity of the Land organisation shallbe suspended.

Article 13District organisations

(1) The Land organisations shall be subdividedinto district organisations.

(2) The district organisation can comprise themembers in a rural district, in a town with districtstatus or in several territorially linked rural districtsand towns with district status. In city states,deviations from the rule are possible.

(3) Decisions on the formation, delimitation,dissolution and alliance of district organisationsshall be made by an organ designated for that

purpose in the Land Statutes, in agreementwith the district organisations affected. The PartyExecutive Committee shall be informed of thestructure of the Land organisation.

(4) The Party Executive Committee can formdistrict organisations outside the country andassign them to a Land organisation with theconsent of the latter.

(5) The organs of a district organisation shall beat least the District Party Congress and the DistrictExecutive Committee. District Party congressescan be held as member assemblies or delegateassemblies. There can be other organs.

(6) The district organisations shall be responsiblefor all political and organisational tasks in theirarea unless otherwise stipulated in these Statutes

or the Land Statutes.

(7) District organisations are the smallest areaorganisations with independent treasuries andtheir own nance planning.

(8) District organisations have the right to besubdivided further into subordinate area organi-sations in the meaning of Article 7 of the PartiesAct (local organisations).

(9) Grass roots groups/grass roots organisationscan be formed freely within a district organisation.Further particulars shall be determined by the

district organisations. Grass-roots groups aboardcan be formed with the approval of the PartyExecutive Committee. They shall be assignedto a district organisation.

(10) District organisations can give themselvestheir own Statutes by resolution of the DistrictParty Congress within the framework of the Federaland Land Statutes. Statute provisions that contra-dict the Federal or Land Statutes are null and void.

(11) If district organisations in their resolutionsand their political activity gravely and repeatedlycontravene the principles of the Programme, the

Statutes or resolutions of principle of the Party,those Land organisations or individual organsof those Land organisations can be dissolvedby a resolution of the Land Congress. Article 12Paragraphs 6 and 7 shall apply with the relevantmodications. Protests shall be dealt with bythe Land Arbitration Committee.


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4. The Organs of the Party

Article 14Organs of the Federal Party and its subdivisions

(1) Organs of the Federal Party in the meaningof the Parties Act are the Party Congress, the Party

Executive Committee and the Federal Committee.

(2) All stipulations concerning the organs of theFederal Party shall apply analogously to organsof the Land organisations, the district organisationsand the federal alliances unless the federalstatutes and the statutes valid there expresslyprovide otherwise.

Party CongressArticle 15

Tasks of the Party Congress(1) The Party Congress is the highest organ of theParty. It discusses and rules on basic political andorganisational matters.

(2) Only the Party Congress can adopt resolutions on

a) the political orientation, the principles andthe programme of the Party,

b) the statutes and electoral procedure andthe arbitration procedure of the Party,

c) the election programme for Bundestagand European elections,

d) the basic guidelines for funding political work,including the Federal Financial Structure,

e) the progress report of the Party ExecutiveCommittee and the auditors’ report of theAuditing Committee,

f) the election and approval of the workof the Party Executive Committee,

g) the formation and dissolution of Landorganisations,

h) the dissolution of the Party,

i) merger with another Party.

(3) In addition, the Party Congress shall discussand rule on applications addressed to it.

(4) The Party Congress shall rule on the reportof the Federal Committee on Party development,on the growing together of the Land organisationsin the new and old Federal Lands and on the workof the Federal Committee.

(5) The Party Congress shall take a position onthe work of the Bundestag parliamentary groupand the group in the European Parliament on the

basis of their reports. It shall decide on participa-tion in coalitions or the toleration of minoritygovernments at the Federal level.

(6) The Party Congress shall accept the reportof the Federal Arbitration Committee.

(7) The Party Congress shall elect

a) the Party Executive Committee,b) the members of the Federal ArbitrationCommittee,

c) the members of the Federal Auditing Committee.

Article 16Composition and election of the Party Congress

(1) The members of the Party Congress withvoting rights shall be

a) 50 delegates from the subdivisions,

b) the delegates of the recognised youthorganisation,

c) the delegates from the federal alliances.

Further delegates can belong to the PartyCongress with voice but no vote.

(2) The delegates shall be elected for a periodof two calendar years. The election shall takeplace on 1 October of the year preceding theParty Congress at the earliest and four weeksbefore the Congress at the latest. It shall be leftto the discretion of the Federal Committee to

decide on a re-election of all delegates on theproposal of the Party Executive Committeeor the Party Congress itself.

(3) Delegates prevented from attending can berepresented by susbstitute delegates who shallbe elected according to the same principles.

(4) The code for selecting delegates shall be drawnup by the Party Executive Committee by 30 Juneof every second year at the latest on the basis ofthe number of members on 31 December of theprevious year for the following two calendar years;for the rst time by 30 September 2007 for the

years 2008 and 2009.(5) The delegates from the subdivisions shallbe elected by members’ or delegates’ assembliesin delegate wards. A delegate ward comprisesone or more territorially linked district organisa-tions. The delegate wards shall be determinedby the Land committees by 30 Septemberof every second year, the rst time by31 October 2007.

(6) The 500 delegate mandates from the subdivi-sions shall be apportioned to the Land organisa-tions according to the number of members by pairs

using the Adams divisor method (divisor series 0;1; 2; 3; ...). The further apportionment withina Land organisation shall take place according


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to member numbers likewise in pairs using theAdams divisor method.

SeeTransitional Clauses 3 and 4

(7) The Party’s recognised youth organisationshall receive two mandates for every full 250active members, but 20 mandates.

(8) The delegates from the federal alliances shallbe elected by federal members’ or delegates’assemblies. Federal alliances, if they have at least

- 1000 members, shall receive 8 delegate mandates,



- 250 members, shall receive 2 delegate mandateswith voting rights. The number of these mandatesof federal alliances may not exceed fty.Otherwise the Party Executive Committee shall beempowered to adapt the apportionment of these

mandates proportionally.

(9) Federal alliances with less than 250 Partymembers shall receive two mandates for non-voting delegates. These shall be elected by theirfederal members’ or delegates’ assemblies.

(10) The non-voting delegates shall be electedin accordance with an allocation system adoptedby the Federal Committee by organs, assembliesor other bodies of the Party.

(11) Other non-voting members of the PartyCongress are the members of the other federal

organs plus the Federal Arbitration Committeeand Federal Auditing Committee, the members inthe organs of the European Left Party (EL) and therepresentatives of the Party in the EuropeanParliament and in the German Bundestag.

(12) Delegates and other participants withvoice but no vote have the same rights as votingdelegates except for the right to vote in electionsand other votes.

Article 17Convening and functioning of the Party Congress

(1) A regular Party Congress shall take placeat least once per calendar year.

(2) The Party Congress shall be convened in writingon the decision of the Party Executive Committeegiving the provisional agenda and venue by meansof a written message to the delegates and othernon-voting participants. If delegates have not yetbeen elected or not yet been registered with theParty Executive Committee, the message shall besent to the delegating regional organisations andalliances and if applicable to the youth organisationof the Party. All delegates shall be summoned four

weeks before the Party Congress at the latest.(3) In special political situations an extraordinaryParty Congress can be convened on the decision

of the Party Executive Committee without thosetime limits being observed. An extraordinary PartyCongress may discuss and rule on only thosemotions that are directly connected with thegrounds for convening the Congress.

(4) The regular or extraordinary Party Congressmust be convened immediately, observing the time

limits, if it is applied for in writing citing reasons

a) by the Federal Committee,

b) by Land and district organizations that togetherrepresent at least one quarter of the members or

c) by at least one quarter of the voting delegates.

(5) Motions to be brought before the PartyCongress must be submitted by six weeks beforeit begins at the latest. They shall be sent to thedelegates at the latest four weeks before themeeting begins. Leading motions and othermotions of fundamental importance shall be

published for all Party members six weeks beforethe Party Congress at the latest. In the case ofan extraordinary Party Congress these timescan be shortened. Urgent motions and initiativemotions can also be proposed at the PartyCongress itself with the support of at least50 voting delegates.

(6) Motions proposed by Land, district or localorganisations, federal alliances, organs of the Party,committees of the Party Congress or at least 25delegates shall be dealt with by the Party Congressor referred to the Party Executive Committee

or the Federal Committee.(7) The district organisations/delegate wardsmust have the opportunity in the period leadingup to every Party Congress to discuss motions withtheir delegates and make known to them a voteon individual issues.

(8) The Party Congress shall adopt rules of proce-dure. If the Party Congress does not adopt rules ofprodedure of its own, the rules of procedure of thepreceding Party Congress shall apply.

(9) In preparation for the Party Congress the PartyExecutive Committee shall nominate a SteeringCommittee, a Credentials Committee, a MotionsCommittee and an Elections Committee, thefunctions and functioning of which shall be setforth in the Rules of Procedure and the ElectionRegulations. The Party Congress shall rule onthe nal composition of those bodies.

(10) Written minutes shall be kept or an audiorecording made of the proceedings at the PartyCongress and led. Resolutions of the PartyCongress shall be written down and certiedby the meeting chair.



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Party ExecutiveCommitteeArticle 18Tasks of the Party Executive Committee

(1) The Party Executive Committee is the politicalleadership organ of the Party. It heads the Party.

(2) Its specic tasks include

a) deciding all political and organisational as wellas nancial and property matters for which noother responsibility is determined in the Statutes,

b) stating the Party position on currentpolitical matters,

c) preparing Party Congresses and meetings of theFederal Committee and carrying out their resolutions,

d) deciding on motions referred to the Party

Executive Committee by the Party Congressor the Federal Committee,

e) supporting Land organisations and the federalalliances of the Party and coordinating their work,

f) coordinating international work,

g) preparing elections and in particular conveningand preparing a Federal representative assemblyto draw up a federal list of candidates for electionsto the European Parliament and submitting(signing) that federal list,

h) determining the code for selecting candidatesfor the Party Congress and the Federal Committee.

(3) The Party Executive Committee shall maintainan ofce at the seat of the Party. The ofce shallsupport the work of the Party Executive Committee,the other organs and bodies of the Federal Party,the Land organisations and the federal alliances.It shall maintain the central membership le.

Article 19Composition and electionof the Party Executive Committee

(1) The Party Executive Committee (entireCommittee) shall consist of a total of 44 memberselected by the Party Congress including members of the Executive Board and a youth policy spokes-person. The Executive Board shall consistof twelve members, including

a) a Party Chair,

b) one or more deputy Party Chairs,

c) a Federal Treasurer,

d) a Party Secretary,

The precise composition of the Party Executive Com-

mittee shall be determined by the Party Congress.

The members of the Executive Board from a to d

shall be elected by the Party Congress, the othermembers of the Executive Board by the PartyExecutive Committee.

See temporary arangements 6 and 7

(2) As a rule the Party Executive Committee iselected every second year. If no election of the

Party Executive Committee has taken place in anycalendar year, it must be held at an ordinary PartyCongress in the following calendar year at thelatest. Otherwise the election of a new PartyExecutive Committee or any by-election shall takeplace on the decistions of the Party Congress.

(3) The Party Executive Committee shall includethe Chair or Chairs of the DIE LINKE parliamentarygroup in the German Bundestag, a representativeof the parliamentary group in the EuropeanParliament and a representative of the Party’srecognised youth organisation in a non-votingcapacity. The Party Congress can designate

further non-voting members.

Article 20Functioning of the Party Executive Committee

(1) Unless otherwise stipulated in these Statutes,the Federal Financial Regulations or the resolutionsof the Party Congress, the Party Executive Commit-tee itself shall distribute tasks among its menbersand make them known to all Party members.

(2) The Party Executive Committee shall adoptits rules of procedure.

(3) The Executive Board shall perform ongoingpolitical and organisational functions in the spiritof the resolutions of the Party Executive Committee and prepare the Party Executive Committee mee-tings. It is the Vorstand in the meaning of Article26, para. 2 of the German Civil Code (BGB).It has the obligation to inform the Party ExecutiveCommittee of all decisions and measures taken.Particulars concerning the work of the ExecutiveBoard shall be set forth in the Rules of Procedureof the Party Executive Committee.

The Party Chair shall represent the Party in andout of court and can grant power of attorney forlegal transactions. In addition to the Chair, twoother members of the Executive Committeein the meaning of Article 26 para. 2 BGB can

jointly represent the Party in and out of court.

5) The Party Executive Committee is accountableto the Party Congress. Its decisions shall be repor-ted in extensio to the Federal Committee, the Landorganisations, the federal alliances and, as a partof public relations work, the members.

(6) The whole Party Executive Committee canresign only on the basis of a resolution adoptedby an absolute majority of the elected members.In that event, an extraordinary Party Congressshall be convened immediately.


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FederalCommitteeArticle 21Tasks of the Federal Committee

The Federal Committee is the organ of the Partyas a whole with consultative, monitoring andinitiative functions in respect of the PartyExecutive Committee.

(2) The Federal Committee shall promoteand support the growing together of the Landorganisations in the new and old Federal Lands.It shall take and support initiatives that servethat purpose.

(3) The Federal Committee shall deliberate anddecide in particular on

a) fundamental political and organisational

questions on the basis of these Statutes,on the basis of resolutions of the Party Congressor on the application of the Party ExecutiveCommittee.

b) the annual nancial plan on the proposalof the Party Executive Committee.

c) motions proposed to the Federal Committeeor referred to the Federal Committee by theParty Congress,

d) matters in respect of which the Party ExecutiveCommittee considers a resolution of the Federal

Committee necessary owing to their politicalsignicance or owing to the nancial burdenconnected with them,

e) campaigns that require substantial nancialor staff resources of the Land organisationsto carry out.

(4) The Federal Committee shall elect thepersons to represent the Party in the organsof the European Left Party (EL).

(5) The Federal Committee shall present to theFederal Representative Assembly a proposal fordrawing up a federal list of candidates for theelections to the European Parliament.

Article 22Composition and election of the Federal Committee

(1) The members of the Federal Committee withvoting rights are

a) 60 representatives of the Land organisations,

b) twelve members to be elected by the assemblyof spokespersons of the federal alliances,

c) twelve members to be chosen by the PartyExecutive Committee from its ranks,

d) two representatives of the recognised youthorganisation.

(2) Further non-voting delegates can belongto the Federal Committee.

(3) The representatives of the Land organisationsshall be elected by the Land Party Congresses.The further apportionment of mandates amongthe Land organisations shall take place accordingto the number of delegates to the Party Congress

in pairs using the Adams divisor method.

(4) The non-voting members shall be selectedon the decision of the Party Congress by organs,assemblies and other bodies of the Party and itsalliances. In the process the parliamentary groupin the European Parliament, the Bundestagparliamentary group and the representativesof the Party in the European Left Party shouldbe given proper consideration.

(5) The members shall be appointed for a periodof two calendar years, the rst time for the years2008 and 2009. Substitutes for the members

shall also be appointed.


Article 23Functioning of the Federal Committee

(1) The Federal Committee shall meet as required,but at least every six months.

The Federal Committee must be convenedon the decision of the Party Executive Committeeor when it is applied for in writing by at least onequarter of the Federal Committee members

citing reasons.(3) The Federal Committee shall elect fromamong its members a steering committeeresponsible for convening and chairingthe meeting.

(4) The Federal Committee shall adopt rulesof procedure.


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5. The Finances of the Party

Article 24The nancial resources of the Party

(1) The nancial resources and the assets of theParty shall be administered by the Party Executive

Committee and the Land and district executivecommittees in line with the principles and rulesof disposal of the Federal Financial Regulations.

(2) The Party shall be nanced from the sourcesof revenue stipulated in the Political Parties Act.The revenues shall be distributed in accordancewith the principles of the Federal FinancialRegulations and governed by the annualnancial plan.

(3) The members of the Party shall pay member-ship fees commensurate with their income on thebasis of the Federal Financial Regulations in effect.

Membership fees cannot be refunded.

Article 25Financial planning and presentation of accounts

(1) The Executive Committees of the Party shallbe responsible for the annual nancial planningand the presentation of accounts relating torevenues and expenditures and to the assetsof the Party in accordance with the stipulationsof the Federal Financial Regulations andthe Political Parties Act.

(2) The Federal Committee rules on the annualfederal nancial plan on the proposal of the PartyExecutive Committee. Land organisationscan make similar arrangements for the Landnancial plans.

Article 26Federal Financial Council

(1) the Federal Financial Council shall discussall fundamental questions of the nancial workof the Party. It shall prepare decisions of principleon the nancial concept, nancial planning,distribution of the common campaign funds

and internal party nancial equalisation.(2) The Federal Financial Council shall consistof the Federal Treasurer and the Land treasurers.

(3) The Federal Financial Council shall beempowered to submit motions to the PartyCongress, the Party Executive Committee andthe Federal Committee. It shall have the rightto take a position on all motions affectingnances.

(4) The Federal Financial Council shall adoptrules of procedure.

(5) Analogous provisions shall be madein the Land statutes.

Article 27Auditing

(1) Auditing committees shall be formed inthe Federal Party and in the Land and district

organisations. They shall be elected by the PartyCongress of the Federal Party and the PartyCongresses of the Land and district organisations.They shall elect the Chair from among theirmembers.

(2) Members of the executive committees, thefederal committees or other Party committeesin the Land and district organisations, electedrepresentatives at the same level as thecorresponding committee, Party staff or the staffof enterprises or institutions connected with itas well as members who receive regular income

from the Party in other ways cannot be membersof the auditing committees.

(3) The auditing committees shall audit thenancial activities of the executive committees,the ofces and the entire Party as well as themanagement of Party assets. They shall supportthe annual audit of nances and assets as requiredby the Political Parties Act.

(4) The Auditing Committees audit the nancialsections of the executive committee reportsto the Party Congresses as required by thePolitical Parties Act.

(5) The tasks and procedures of the auditingcommittees shall be detailed in rules to beadopted by the Party Congress.


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6. The General Rules of Procedure of the Party

Article 28Publicity

(1) The deliberations of Party organs shall be opento party members as a matter of principle.

(2) Guests can be granted the right to speak withinthe framework of the rules of procedure and theagenda.

(3) The public can be excluded in whole or parton reasonable grounds.

(4) The public must be excluded if the rightsof third parties and especially their personal rightsso require. The motions submitted to the federalorgans of the Party and the minutes and validresolutions of meetings shall be made knownto the Party members in a suitable manner.

Article 29Motions

(1) Motions can be proposed by the members,the executive committees and other bodies ofregional organisations, alliances and therecognised youth organisation of the Party.

(2) Motions shall be submitted to the relevantexecutive committee of the Party. That committeeshall refer it immediately to the organ responsibleunder these Statutes. The mover shall be informedof the referral within three weeks after receipt

of the motion.(3) The action taken on the motion shall be madeknown to the mover immediately.

(4) Particulars concerning the motion procedureshall be set forth in the rules of procedure of theorgans.

Article 30Invitation and Quorum

(1) Invitations to meetings of the Party organsand materials for deliberation shall be sent out byordinary letter mail. They can be sent out by fax ore-mail if the invitees have furnished a fax numberof e-mail address. The rules of procedure of theorgans may provide otherwise.

(2) Elected Party organs have a quorum if atleast one half of the voting members are present.The rules of procedure of the organs may provideotherwise.

(3) Members’ assemblies have a quorum regardlessof the number of persons present if all Party mem-bers entitled to attend have been duely invited.

(4) The absence of a quorum shall be declared

when so moved.

(5) Once the absence of a quorum has been

declared on an agenda item the Party organ isdeemed to have a quorum on that agenda item at itsnext meeting regardless of the number of personspresent. This shall be pointed out in the invitation.

Article 31Resolutions, ballots and elections

(1) Resolutions shall be adopted by a simplemajority unless the Federal Statutes, theElectoral Procedure, Land statutes or districtstatutes explicitly provide otherwise.

(2) A simple majority shall be deemed givenin substantive ballots and elections if thenumber of valid yea votes is greater than thenumber of valid nay votes.

(3) An absolute majority shall be deemed given

in substantive ballots and elections if the numberof valid yea votes is greater than the number of validnay votes plus the number of valid abstentions.

(4) A statute-changing majority shall be deemedgiven if at least two thirds of the valid votes castare yea votes and more than half those entitledto vote vote yea. All elected voting delegates atdelegates’ assemblies, whether present or not,and all members present at members’ assembliesshall be entitled to vote.

(5) Elections can only take place if they wereannounced in the invitation to a meeting.They shall be announced in the invitation if newelections or by-elections are prescribed in theStatutes or if an admissible motion to hold newelections or by-elections has been made.

(6) Elections to Party organs shall be by secretballot. In all other cases the ballot can be non-secret unless an objection is raised when thequestion is put. Particulars shall be set forthin the Electoral Procedure of the Party.

(7) Votes on substantive questions are non-secreton principle.

(8) Voting on personnel matters, which amountto an election in their signicance, shall be bysecret ballot.

Article 32Exercise of Party ofce andparliamentary mandates

(1) As a rule, Party ofce and parliamentarymandates are exercised on a volunteer basis.

(2) The full-time exercise of a Party ofce shallrequire a resolution of the Party Executive Com-mittee or the relevant Land executive committee.

(3) No Party ofce shall be held by the same Partymember for more than eight years.


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(4) The members of the Party Executive Committeeand each Land executive committee may not intheir majority be members of parliament at theEuropean, Federal or Land levels.

(5) Necessary expenditures arising from exercisingan honorary ofce shall be reimbursed in theframework of the Federal Financial Regulations,

the Finance Plan and other resolutions of the Party.

Article 33Termination of Party ofce andparliamentary mandates

(1) A Party ofce or parliamentary mandate shallbe terminated for reasons of deselection, repeatelection, resignation or termination of Partymembership.

(2) Deselection takes place if the electing organby secret ballot

a) defeats a Motion of Condence by the electedperson by a simple majority or

b) passes a motion to deselect by an absolutemajority Motions to deselect must be announcedon the provisional agenda.

(3) Resignation from Party ofce and parliamentarymandates shall be declared in writing to therelevant executive committee.

(4) In cases covered by paragraphs 1 to 3 therelevant executive committee shall afrm on thebasis of the minutes of the election the successionor the need for a new election or by-election andinitiate the necessary steps.

Article 34Submitting (signing) nominations

(1) Only the Party Executive Committee shall beauthorised to submit nominations for electionto the European Parliament.

(2) Only the relevant Land executive committeesshall be authorised to submit nominations forelection to the German Bundestag and the Landparliaments (constituency and list proposals).

(3) Only the relevant district executive committeesshall be authorised to submit nominations formunicipal elections.

(4) Land statutes may contain rules divergingfrom paragraphs 2 and 3 within the frameworkof the electoral laws. In the event that an electorallaw contains differing mandatory provisions,those provisions shall apply.

Article 35Drawing up federal lists for electionsto the European Parliament

(1) The nomination of candidates for electionsto the European Parliament and determinationof their order on the federal list shall take place

at a special representatives’ assembly (FederalRepresentatives’ Assembly).

(2) The representatives shall be chosen forthe Federal Representatives’ Assembly directlyby territorial assemblies of all members eligibleto vote from among the Party members eligibleto vote. The provisions concerning the Party

Congress shall be applied analogously.

Article 36Proposing constituencycandidates and Land lists for electionsto the German Bundestag

(1) Constituency candidates shall be proposedat an assembly of all members eligible to vote inthe constituency or in a special representatives’assembly of the constituency (ConstituencyRepresentatives’ Assembly).

(2) The representatives shall be chosen for the

Federal Representatives’ Assembly directly byterritorial assemblies of all members eligibleto vote from among their number.

(3) The nomination of candidates and the deter-mination of their order on the Land list shall takeplace at an assembly of all members entitled tovote or at a special representatives’ assembly(Land Representatives’ Assembly).

(4) The representatives shall be chosen for a LandRepresentatives’ Assembly directly by territorialassemblies of all members eligible to vote fromamong the Party members eligible to vote inthe Land.

Article 37Arbitration and dispute resolution procedure

(1) Arbitration committees shall be formed bythe Party Congress and the Party Congressesof the Land organisations to arbitrate and resolvedisputes in the Party or a territorial oganisationwith individual members and disputes concerningthe interpretation and application of these Statutesand subordinate regulations and to deal withelection challenges. Disputs committees can

be formed for district organisations, as can jointdisputs committees for more than one districtorganisation.

(2) The members of the arbitration committeesshall be elected every second calendar year.They must not belong to the Executive Committeeof the Party, the Federal or a Land committeeor any other arbitration committee, be employedby the Party or receive any regular income fromthe Party. They are independent and not boundby instructions.

(3) Arbitration committees shall become active

only on application. Decisions concerning theopening of arbitration proceedings shall be madeby the arbitration committees.


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(4) It shall rule in the rst and last instance onchallenges to the dissolution of regional organi-sations and alliances. It shall be the authority forappeals against decisions of the Land arbitrationcommittees.

(5) Land arbitration committees shall arbitrateand decide disputes unless the Federal arbitration

committee or another disputes committee isresponsible or if arbitration in a district organi-sation has failed. They shall rule in the rstinstance on challenges to denials of membershipand expulsions from the Party.

(6) Disputes committees shall settle disputes indistrict organisations.

(7) Arbitration committees can, as the resultof proper arbitration proceedings,

a) order measures that serve to restore statutoryorder in the Party,

b) expel members from the Party under Article 3para. 4.

(8) The Party Congress shall adopt ArbitrationRules for the activity of the arbitration committeesthat guarantee a legal hearing, fair process andrejection of a member of the arbitration committeefor reasons of bias. The arbitration rules set forththe exact responsibilities of the arbitration commit-tees and the details of the arbitration procedure.

7. Transitional and Final Clauses

Article 38Transitional clauses

(1) Persons belonging to another political partycan be members until 31 December 2007 as longtheir that party’s goals or actual behaviour are notcontrary to the goals of the Party.

(2) In a departure from Article 7 paragraph 2,all existing federal alliances of the Left Party.PDSand all federal working groups of the WASG shallbe federal alliances until 31 December 2007 evenif the preconditions are not met.

In a departure from Article 16 paragraph 6,the delegates’ mandates for the 2008 PartyCongress shall be apportioned as follows:

a) 160 mandates proportional to membershipto all sixteen Land organisations,

b) 170 mandates proportional to membershipto all ten West German Land organisations,

c) 170 mandates proportional to membershipto the six East German Land organisations.

In the years 2010 and 2012 the number ofmandates under sub-paragraph a shall beincreased by 60. At the same time the numberof mandates under sub-paragraphs b and c shallbe reduced by 30 mandates each. Article 16,paragraph 6 shall apply from 2014.

(4) The 2007 founding congress of theparty DIE LINKE shall consist of the electeddelegates to the 6th Party Congress of theWASG and the 10th Party Congress of theLeft Party.PDS.

(5) Party Congress resolutions with specialeast-west relevance require additionally for theiradoption until the end of 2016 a simple majorityof the delegates from the ten West German Landorganisations and a simple majority of the

delegates from the six East German Landorganisations. Such a majority shall be requiredwhen a quarter of the delegates so determinein a motion.

(6) Twenty-two members of the rst Party ExecutiveCommittee of the party DIE LINKE, including sixmembers of the Executive Board, shall be electedon the proposal of the Party Congress of the WASGand 22 members, including six members of theExecutive Board, shall be elected on the proposalof the Party Congress of the Left Party. PDS,

(7) Two Party Chairs shall be elected until the PartyExecutive Committee is elected in 2010. One PartyChair nominated by the WASG and one nominatedby the Left Party.PDS shall be elected in theelections in 2007.

(8) Until the rst Federal Committee is constitutedin the rst quarter of 2008, its tasks shall beperformed by the Party Executive Committee.

(9) Party Congress resolutions on amendementsor on deletion of transitional clauses in Article 38(3-7) as well as on the composition of the PartyExecutive Committee until 2010 shall require

additionally for their adoption until the end of2016 a simple majority of the delegates from theten West German Land organisations and a simplemajority of the delegates from the six East GermanLand organisations.

Article 39Final Clauses

(1) These Federal Statutes were agreed on25 March 2007 and adopted by the Founding PartyCongress of the party DIE LINKE on 16 June 2007.They entered into force upon their adoption.

(2) Amendments to these Statutes must beadopted by the Party Congress by a statute-


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changing majority or by membership referen-dum by a simple majority. The Federal FinancialRegulations, including the fee table, the ArbitrationProcedure and the Electoral Procedure, can beadopted and amended by the Party Congressby absolute majority. They are a part of theseStatutes. Amendments to these Statutes shall

enter into force after being entered in theRegister of Associations.

(3) The Executive Committee in the meaningof Article 26 paragraph 2 BGB is authorisedto correct, amend or add any Statute clausesthat stand in the way of entry in the Registerof Associations or are required for such entrywhen so informed by the Register.

(4) In the event of dissolution of the Partythe Party assets shall go to a foundationselected by the Party Congress by simplemajority and recognised to be not-for-prot.

Impressum

Bundesgeschäftsführer der Partei DIE LINKE, 2007Kleine Alexanderstraße 28, 10178 Berlin


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federal statutes

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