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Left after Karlsruhe ruling: "We will remain in the Bundestag"

Left after Karlsruhe ruling: "We will remain in the Bundestag"

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Left after Karlsruhe ruling: "We will remain in the Bundestag"
Left after Karlsruhe ruling: "We will remain in the Bundestag"

The Left Behind in Bundestag: "We're Staying Put"

With a sigh of relief, the Left Party has welcomed the Federal Constitutional Court's decision on the partial rerun of the Bundestag elections. Dietmar Bartsch, a former leader of the Left Party's parliamentary group, hailed the judgment, assuring that they will carry on their role as the social opposition within the Bundestag.

The court ruled that the 2021 Bundestag election in Berlin required a partial rerun due to technical issues in 455 out of 2256 constituencies, but not citywide. This won't significantly alter the outcome in the two constituencies where the Left Party won direct mandates. As a result, the directly elected MPs, such as Gesine Lötzsch and Gregor Gysi, along with Sören Pellmann from Leipzig, will secure their seats in the Bundestag. This also ensures that all 39 MPs who still belong to the Left Party today, along with former members, will continue their stint in the German parliament.

If the elections had been repeated in full, the Left Party may have lost one of the direct mandates, which in turn, could have resulted in the loss of all seats allocated via lists in 2021. Thankfully, the party has been spared such a scenario, as stated by Bartsch, "a small but important hurdle has been overcome."

Martin Schirdewan, the Left Party's Federal Chairman, acknowledged the clear path forward for the Berlin election, promising a strong campaign to achieve the best possible result. The German Press Agency reported that the Left Party is thrilled about the court decision, as a full rerun could have significantly impacted their overall representation in the Bundestag.

Despite sustaining a series of electoral setbacks and the departure of Sahra Wagenknecht and her supporters, the Left Party has shown resilience, engaging in electoral activities in Berlin with the upcoming winter election campaign in sights. The surge in party membership registrations in Berlin marks a positive sign for their future endeavors[1].

Footnotes

[1] The Left Party operates separately from the recent debates and discussions surrounding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its perceived threat to democracy. While the AfD faces scrutiny and potential calls for a ban, the Left Party maintains its place in the German political landscape by abiding by democratic principles.

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