We maintain a clear stand against racism and we try to give strength to the field of solidarity, to those who help the refugees. But this is not all: We are committed to highlighting AfD’s positions in social and economic policy, which are not favorable to the working classes. More generally, we try not to be paralyzed in the face of right-wing populists, but to go on the offensive, leading the public debate to the social security issue: This is the only way they can be embarrassed.

In September of next year there will be elections in Germany: In order to win more support on the left, do you need “populism” on your side?

At this time in the country, indignation rightly reigns: The government favors the increase of inequality and undermines social cohesion. People increasingly fear a regression in the social scale.

If “left-wing populism” means to make clear that the boundaries that create and represent the identities do not run between people of different geographical origin, but among those at the bottom and those at the top of society, then it is a useful and appropriate populism. It has nothing to do with right-wing populism: the Others on the other side of the fence are not foreigners, but the richest 10 percent of society.

And maybe the SPD chancellor won’t launch as a candidate secretary Sigmar Gabriel, Minister of Industry and a deputy of Merkel, in the large coalition?

I think the attractiveness of a political option does not depend on individual members. To build consensus to reach a majority different from the one we currently have, we must focus on the content, and make it clear which direction we want to take on substantive issues. For example, do we want to continue to have a differentiated health service depending on people’s spending power? Should we keep the support system to income according to Hartz IV regulations, which is full of vexations for the unemployed? Should we go ahead with the militarization of foreign policy? From these questions, we must develop the debate around a possible new leftist majority.