▁in ▁particular . ▁ ▁The ▁D K P ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁political ▁fr inge , ▁never ▁winning ▁more ▁than ▁ 0 . 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁votes ▁in ▁federal ▁elections . ▁It ▁had ▁relatively ▁greater ▁local ▁support ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s : ▁it ▁achieved ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 . 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁Hamburg , ▁ 3 . 1 % ▁in ▁Bre men ▁and ▁ 2 . 7 % ▁in ▁the ▁S aar land . ▁Following ▁German ▁reun ification , ▁the ▁D K P ▁entered ▁a ▁steady ▁decl ine . ▁ ▁The ▁D K P ▁received ▁national ▁public ▁attention ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁when ▁Christ el ▁Weg ner , ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁parliament ▁of ▁Lower ▁Sax ony ▁on ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁the ▁Left ▁Party ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁D K P ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁state ▁parliament , ▁alleg edly ▁end ors ed ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Wall , ▁the ▁St asi ▁and ▁other ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁state ▁in ▁an ▁interview . ▁This ▁caused ▁embar rass ment ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁Left ▁Party ▁leadership . ▁Despite ▁den ying ▁that ▁she ▁made ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁statements ▁( at ▁least ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁that ▁was ▁reported ) ▁she ▁was ▁exp elled ▁from ▁the ▁Left ▁Party ▁fa ction ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁The ▁D K P ▁ended ▁its ▁observer ▁status ▁in ▁the ▁Party ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Left ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁a