Red–red coalition
A red- red coalition is generally a coalition of social democratic / socialist and demokratisch-sozialistischen/kommunistischen parties.
Germany
Under a red - red coalition is understood in Germany, a coalition of the SPD and the Left Party (or the earlier PDS). It has always presented the SPD the head of government. However, the Left is also stronger than the SPD in some of the eastern countries. So far both parties were no coalition in this case but one. It was instead often guided by the CDU grand coalition.
The first collaboration between the SPD and PDS began in 1994 in Saxony- Anhalt. Prime Minister Reinhard Hoeppner had his red-green minority government of the PDS tolerate. From 1998 to 2002, the SPD ruled without Alliance 90/The Greens, who had missed a place in the state legislature. Hoeppner but it still needed the votes of the PDS. Based on this cooperation between the SPD and PDS, one therefore speaks at PDS tolerancing a SPD minority government of the Magdeburg model.
The first red - red coalition was born in 1998 in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern. Under Prime Minister Harald Ringstorff this ruled together until 2006. Then they were given only a slim majority in the state elections in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern 2006. Ringstorff and since 2008 his successor Erwin Selle ring form a coalition with the CDU since then.
Even Berlin was from 2002 to 2011 by Red-Red ruled (Senate Wowereit II January 17, 2002 to 22 November 2006; Senate Wowereit III until 24 November 2011).
After the Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit 2001 opted first for the Magdeburg model and had to tolerate his red-green minority government of the PDS, he has worked since 2002 only with the PDS and since 2007 with the Left together. In the election in September 2006 achieved the Left Party and the Alliance 90/The Greens in Berlin the same number of seats in the House of Representatives. Although for red-green majority would have been present, Wowereit and the SPD decided on the continuation of Red-Red. The election to the House of Berlin 2011 18 September 2011 were red-red no more parliamentary majority; Wowereit negotiated red - green and red-black and opted for a grand coalition.
Beginning of 2008 there were in the SPD in Thuringia consider whether it would form a coalition with the Left even if the SPD were the smaller partner and the Left would ask the Prime Minister. Richard Dewes pleaded to act as a junior partner to the left. Ultimately, however, he was defeated in a primary election against Christoph Matschie, who began as a top candidate for the state elections in Thuringia in 2009. Matschie wanted to work only with the left when it chose him as prime minister. In October 2009, the Thuringian SPD ruled against a red- red coalition and for the formation of a large coalition led by the CDU Minister President Christine Dear servant.
After the state elections in Brandenburg 2009, the SPD had the options of continuing the since 1999 governing coalition with the CDU or to form the first red - red coalition in Brandenburg as an election winner. SPD Minister-President Matthias Platzeck proposed to the State Executive Committee of his party on 12 October 2009, finally, to lead coalition negotiations with the Left. On 6 November 2009, the red - red coalition was sworn in Parliament.
In February 2014, the SPD their willingness to form coalitions at the state level under a Prime Minister of the Left Party announced.
Austria
In Austria we mean by a red- red coalition cooperation of Social Democrats ( SPÖ) and the Communists ( KPO ). With too small a share of the vote for the Communist Party and historically reservations in the SPÖ has so far not led to coalition between these parties. From the state election in Styria 2005 until the 2010 election a red- red coalition of Social Democrats and the Communist Party would have had a majority, this option was not seriously discussed.