Europe News

German Left leader doing well after cancer operation

Nov 21, 2009, 13:34 GMT

Berlin - The co-leader of Germany's Left Party, Oskar Lafontaine, was doing well Saturday following an operation for prostate cancer, a party spokesman said. 'The procedure went successfully. In the circumstances, he's doing well,' spokesman Hendrik Thalheim said. The operation took place on Thursday. Lafontaine, 66, surprised the public and his party just after the September 27 general election by announcing he would give up his functions as joint floor leader of Left deputies in the Bundestag, or parliament. He said earlier this week that the operation had been planned for some time. Lafontaine's extraordinary political career began in the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which he led for a time. He was SPD premier of the German state of Saarland, once ran unsuccessfully for chancellor, and was briefly German finance minister. After leaving the SPD, he joined a new western German leftist group that evolved into the Left Party after teaming up with former East German communists. At the last general election, the party won 12 per cent of the vote. In April 1990, Lafontaine survived an assassination attempt.

Europe News

German Left leader doing well after cancer operation

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