Young Socialists in the SPD

Young Socialists in the SPD
JungsozialistInnen in der SPD
Chairperson Johanna Uekermann
Founded 1946 (1946)
Headquarters Berlin, Germany
Ideology Social democracy
Democratic socialism
Mother party Social Democratic Party of Germany
International affiliation International Union of Socialist Youth
European affiliation Young European Socialists
Website
jusos.de

Young Socialists in the SPD (German: Jungsozialistinnen und Jungsozialisten in der SPD, Jusos) is the youth organization of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).

The Jusos see themselves as a socialist, feminist and internationalist (anti-nationalist) association within the SPD. Generally more left-wing in their approach to current events than their mother party, Jusos tend to criticize leading politicians, whatever their affiliation. The chairperson of the Jusos is currently Johanna Uekermann.

In 2011, there were nearly 52,000 people listed as members of the Jusos.[1]

Membership

Every member of the SPD who is younger than 35 is automatically a member of the Jusos. Since 1994, people under 35 have also been able to be just a member of the Jusos. Until 2011 this membership was free, but ended after a two 2-year period. Nowadays it is possible to be a member until you reach your 35th birthday. However, there is now a membership fee of 1 Euro per month.

History

1918-1969

The Jusos were founded between 1918 and 1920, when groups of members of the SPD between 20 and 25 years of age began to meet. In terms of numbers, the Jusos stayed insignificant, with between 3,000 and 5,000 members. They were dissolved in 1931 as a result of an internal controversy.

In 1946, after the end of the Second World War, the Jusos was refounded. In the first years, they were quite loyal to the Social Democratic Party.

Turning left in 1969

In 1969 the Jusos turned left. On their Bundeskongress (Federal Congress) they decided to become a left political federation instead of being simply the obedient youth section of the party. Since then, the Jusos have seen themselves as a socialist and feminist association within the SPD.

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References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.