Thuringia Confirms New Government

ERFURT, GERMANY - DECEMBER 5: Bodo Ramelow, head of the leftist Die Linke party faction in the Thuringia state parliament, is sworn in as the new governor of Thuringia on December 5 2014 in Erfurt, Germany. Ramelow's appointment comes after the three parties of the new Thuringia state coalition government, the Thuringia German Social Democrats (SPD), Greens Party (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) and Die Linke, signed a coalition. Ramelow is the first Die Linke member to become a state governor in Germany. Die Linke is the direct descendant of the former East German communist party, the SED, and while many see Die Linke as a leftist party fully committed to democratic institutions, others remain wary and point to the party's still-existing communist wing. (Photo by Jens Schlueter/Getty Images)