"Sit Down, Jan's Tellin' Tales of Rheinmetall Shares"
Jan van Aken discusses his involvement with Rheinmetall
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
The Left co-chair, Jan van Aken, can't possibly be considered a stocks guru. Yet, the 150 euros he spent on a couple of Rheinmetall shares eight years ago have seen some awe-inspiring multiplication since.
Addressing over 500 delegates at the Left party conference in Chemnitz, van Aken revealed his investment story. "Bought two Rheinmetall shares eight years ago, this isn't an investment though. You gotta have shares when you want to spout smart takes at shareholders' meetings or create a bit of commotion," he quipped.
"For now, we'll keep the shares. The next shareholders' meeting's around the corner, and maybe you'll hear from us then," van Aken added, with a hint of mischief in his voice.
Politics Left leader confident "CDU should realize: It can't get past the Left" The story behind the shares was to demonstrate how arms companies flourish due to the federal government's defense policy plans. He also advocated for a windfall tax. "I checked it yesterday, nearly fell off my chair," said van Aken. "We've made a hefty 3,200 euros from those crappy shares that only cost 180 euros initially." He found it "deplorable how folks amass millions in earnings from others' wars or their struggles." That's why an excess profit tax is essential for companies like Rheinmetall.
Similarly, Sören Pellmann, the Left parliamentary group leader, expressed his stance during his speech regarding the constitutional amendment for the debt brake. "Historically unprecedented arms buildup," he remarked. The Left had served "as a bulwark against arms buildup and militarization" in the Bundestag, he specified.
"Arms buildup takes precedence over social security," van Aken accused the new federal government. He labeled the reform of the debt brake to secure more funds for defense as "scandalous beyond belief." Meanwhile, Merz had already announced planned cuts in the social sector during the exploratory talks, van Aken noted. "They don't have a clue what's going on down here," he stated about the coalition of Union and SPD.
Politics Interview with Left leader "Friedrich Merz is the class enemy" Throughout his speech, van Aken drew distinction between a "we" and "the rich and powerful, who revel in our struggles and rob us blind." This aligns with the Left's new self-perception as a party that champions the "class interests" – the interests of everyone who is not part of the privileged few, van Aken clarified.
"The boundary doesn't run between someone with or without a German passport," said van Aken, "the boundary always runs between top and bottom. The boundary doesn't divide the poor from the very poor, nor the cow's milk drinkers from the oat milk drinkers, the boundary only runs between top and bottom."
- The Left
- German Defense Policy
- Friedrich Merz
- Chemnitz
- Party Congress
Enrichment Data:
Jan van Aken, co-leader of the German Left Party (Die Linke), shared his criticism of the major German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall during his speech at the party conference in Chemnitz. Van Aken noted that he purchased two Rheinmetall shares for around 180 euros eight years ago, which has since increased in value to approximately 3,200 euros. He opined that these profits reflect the ways arms manufacturers thrive due to defense policies, particularly during geopolitical conflicts. To help mitigate such undue profits at the expense of others' suffering, van Aken proposed an "excess profit tax" specifically targeting arms companies.[1]
- In the context of the Left party conference in Chemnitz, Jan van Aken, co-leader of the party, called for a windfall tax on arms companies like Rheinmetall, citing his personal experience of earning a substantial profit from his investment in these shares.
- Van Aken's stance on the excess profit tax is part of the Left's wider criticism of the German defense policy and its impact on employment opportunities, particularly in the realm of vocational training and education-and-self-development.
