Предвыборный манифест партии Linke

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The federal election manifesto of Germany's Left party

LABOUR MARKET

- The Left party wants to introduce a minimum wage of 10 euros per hour during the next four years. Germany has no national minimum wage.

- Job protection rules should be expanded and the Hartz IV welfare system abolished. Welfare payments should be raised to a 500 euros per month during the next four years from 350.

- The government's "Kurzarbeit" support for workers idled by the downturn and unemployment benefits should be expanded.

INVESTMENTS

- The Left party wants spending to create 2 million jobs.

- It wants annual investments of 100 billion euros ($139.2 billion) for health care, education, climate protection, and infrastructure -- and 100 billion euros in annual state spending to help firms develop social and environmental programmes.

TAXES

- The Left wants tax reform that includes a "redistribution from the top to the bottom".

- Only incomes of more than 12,000 euros per year should be taxed and the top tax rate should be raised to 53 from 45 percent.

- The Left wants to introduce a "Millionaire's Tax" on private wealth, an inheritance tax, and a bourse turnover tax.

ECONOMY

- Private banks should be nationalised and financial markets strictly regulated.

- Employees should have a larger stake in their companies. Mass layoffs at firms not facing insolvency should be banned.

- The privatisation of public authorities should be ended. Transport and utilities should be stay in public sector control.

PENSIONS AND HEALTHCARE

- The Left wants to reform state pension system to include contributions from those now exempted: self-employed people, civil servants and politicians.

- The rise in retirement age to 67 from 65 to be rescinded.

- Supplemental health care payments should be scrapped.

FAMILIES

- The Left wants to cost-free child care. State-funded parent leave should be extended to 24 months from 14.

FOREIGN AND DEFENCE POLICY

- The Left wants to end foreign deployment of military forces and German troops in Afghanistan should be recalled.

- NATO should be replaced with a "collective security system that includes Russia".

- The Left wants to abolish conscription and reform the army into a purely defence force.