My re-election to the European Parliament did not work. Position 10 of the LINKE list was not enough. It was not meant to be anymore.

The overall political situation was not in favour of the LINKE. For many potential voters it was not quite clear how EU policies (e.g. the Lisbon strategy) and the tangible social cutbacks on the ground are related. I am sorry that the election campaign and hustings of the LINKE were not offensive enough and remained simply too weak. Gaining only one additional mandate means a really bad result, bearing in mind that meanwhile the new party DIE LINKE had been founded - there is no need for euphemisms.

I want to sincerely thank everyone who voted for DIE LINKE, especially those inside and outside the party who dedicatedly fought for a good result of DIE LINKE in the European elections. Many thanks in particular to those who went to the vote and voted DIE LINKE extra because of myself.

Thanks to everyone I could collaborate with in the framework of my mandate throughout the last five years. Thanks to my staff members and my cooperation partners.

The work goes on - in particular against the militarisation of the European Union, against the Lisbon treaty and the murderous refugee policy of the EU - but once again from outside of the European Parliament. Unlike others, for me working inside the European Parliament has never meant a switch to the other side, but the continuation of my previous work.

It is still open what I will do from now on. The mandate will expire with the constitutive session of the new European Parliament on 14th July 2009.