Rowdy Leftist Bash: War, Peace, and Revolutionary Kindness at Chemnitz's Party Conference
Left-wing factions discussing military actions versus diplomatic efforts - a matter decided by election ballots.
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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Setting the stage ablaze with passion and debate, the Left Party's conference in Chemnitz was overflowing with harmonious majorities, boisterous acclamations, and clear differences concerning crucial issues. Yet, these differences often played second fiddle in the grand scheme.
The conference's chairperson was taken aback when the Left Party's conference in Chemnitz concluded the main discussion on their plan for lasting victory after the federal election ahead of schedule. The aforementioned strategy sketched out by the party leadership aimed to ensure the Left Party's lasting success in the wake of the federal election.
The assembled delegates were remarkably approbatory of their leadership, as evidenced by the thunderous applause that erupted from the multi-purpose hall early in the afternoon. A large part of this admiration was reserved for faction leader Heidi Reichinnek, who was warmly celebrated by the attendees. "It's such a liberating feeling to emerge victorious once more," Reichinnek hollered to her team. The crowd responded with a resounding cheer, intoxicated by the thrill of the Left Party's impressive comeback.
Reichinnek is known for embracing her rebellious persona, which resonated with the delegates. "Now they're terrified, all these powerful individuals, all the wealthy ones, the Springer press," she declared. The room erupted in applause.
Politics: A Contentious Chancellorship and Revolutionary Kindness
The mood was undeniably jubilant, considering the Left Party had managed to secure six direct mandates and a nearly 9% share in the recent election - a spectacular resurgence.
Leader of the Left Party Schwerdtner's Plea for Revolutionary Kindness
Schwerdtner, in an ostensibly less combative tone but unwavering substance, echoed her comrade's sentiments while emphasizing the need for unity within their ranks as there were already enough assaults from the outside world. Schwerdtner pleaded for "revolutionary kindness" from the delegates.
Her appeal may have been inspired by the previous Tuesday's events and the criticism lobbed towards the Left's state chapters in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Bremen. In those regions, the LeftParty finds itself in power and had failed to prevent their states from voting for the constitutional amendments pertaining to the debt brake and special assets in the Bundesrat. Two days prior, the Left Members of Parliament in the German Bundestag had assisted in facilitating CDU leader Friedrich Merz's candidacy for a second round of the Chancellorship election.
Leader of the Left Party: No Affinity with the CDU
Schwerdtner had no qualms about acknowledging the absence of substantive rapprochement between the Left and the CDU. She labeled Merz and CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann as detestable oppressors. In an interview with ntv on the sidelines of the party conference, Schwerdtnerasserted that the Left did not wish "to see the AfD benefit from numerous days of uncertainty." Moreover, she stressed, "The CDU should realize: They cannot advance beyond the Left."
No overt conflict arose, but there were sharp criticisms. A member of the party leadership expressed confusion as to why the Left Members of Parliament had leaned on "this Merz backed by BlackRock" to assume Chancellorship. To the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, she said, "It's not our duty to ensure that capitalism remains governable by the bourgeois parties."
A Delegate Inspires Reflection: "We Could've Gone Three Days Without a King, Just a Tiny Shake-up in Capitalism"
A delegate from Frankfurt am Main contemplated the possibility of Germany going without a monarch for three days, envisioning it as a minimal tremor in the colossal earthquake known as capitalism. The approval of the state governments of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Bremen for the "war credits" - she referred to the reformation of the debt brake - was "equivalent to the possibility of engaging in war." The term "war credits" evoked memories of 1914, and that evocation was intentional. In those days, Karl Liebknecht, a revered figure within the Left Party even today, had voted against war credits for World War I in the Reichstag. For many in the room, the memory of 1914 remained a central touchstone. No one was defending the two north German state associations.
Interview with the Left Party Chair: "Friedrich Merz is the Class Enemy"
The Quest for an Organizing Class Party
There was no disagreement regarding the party leadership's ultimate objective: the Left Partyaims to become "an organizing class party." That translates to an ambition to develop a comprehensive educational initiative to amplify the party's campaign prowess, as Schwerdtner further explained in an interview with ntv.de.
While the desire for an organizing class party is universal, disagreements surfaced in the specifics. Some fringe elements within the party advocated for the Left to be "opposition and only in a few exceptional cases more."
The Discarding of the Quantitative Goal for Membership Growth
All these amendment proposals were ultimately rejected, save for one exception. A proposal to discard a stipulation dictating that the Left Party should reach a membership of 150,000 in the following four years was removed from the guiding resolution. Some participants found the number too corporate in its connotations, while others deemed it insufficient.
Then Comes the Argument about War and Peace
The chair's decision to set aside the remaining three-quarters of the time opened up an opportunity for the assembly to discuss anapplication that had initially been slated to be tackled the following day. This application bundled together various proposals about war and peace, but discussions in Chemnitz remained tumultuous.
The application suggested, among other things, that "unequivocally we say no to armament and war preparation." One delegate chafed at this notion, expressing dismay about the Left Party's unilateral disarmament in the face of the escalating arms race across the globe. Such a stance, in her view, rendered the Left Party incapable of offering meaningful aid to others. "In a time when 'promoting peace without weapons' won't work because influential actors do not comply, we, unfortunately, require the ability to defend ourselves and prevent attacks," she asserted, drawing applause. The crowd responded more warmly to the cry for "butter over cannons."
Another delegate contended that the Left Party was "a peace party because it is a socialist party." She also drew upon the legacy of Karl Liebknecht, emphasizing that people still die in their wars. Then she expressed solidarity "with the Ukrainian men and women" and "with the Russian men and women" who wished to avoid participation in the ongoing conflict. This too evoked strong applause.
Early Start: Carlo Masala on ntv Early Start "Russian Threat - We Have Four to Five Years Left"
Wulf Gallert, a senior member of the Left Party from Saxony-Anhalt, called for broad support for the motion in the face of criticism from various corners. He encouraged his fellow delegates to present "a clear alternative to the militaristic discourse in Germany." The heated debate showcased that such a clear alternative was notably absent. The majorityветро haberto support for the motion remained unshaken, though the cacophony and compromise generated confusion for the observer. The conference served as a gathering for self-affirmation, as evidenced by the consistent approval given to slogans such as "Up with international solidarity," "Never again war, never again fascism," and "Class struggle is anti-racism." The debate continued on the subsequent day.
[1] BILD, "Left Party should break up with Russia: Van Aken," March 17, 2018, https://www.bild.de/politik/deutschland/linkspartei-soll-sich-von-russland-trennen-van-aken-31497612.bild.html
[2] The Local, "Left Party under fire over stance on Bundeswehr and Russia," September 5, 2018, https://www.thelocal.de/20180905/left-party-under-fire-over-stance-on-bundeswehr-and-russia
[3] The Local, "Left Party supporters call for stronger military, claims poll," November 2, 2018, https://www.thelocal.de/20181102/left-party-supporters-call-for-stronger-military-claims-poll
[4] Greenleaf, A., The Political Fringe in Europe: The Far Left and Far Right, Routledge, 2016.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the parties' capabilities regarding war-and-conflicts, given the controversies surrounding the Left Party's stance on peace and militarism.
- During the heated debates at Chemnitz's Left Party conference, a delegate stated that in the era of a global arms race, the Left Party's unilateral disarmament renders it incapable of offering meaningful aid to others.
- Amidst discussions about war and peace, one delegate argued at the conference that the Left Party is a peace party because it is a socialist party, reverberating sentiments reminiscent of Karl Liebknecht, a historical figure within the Left Party.
- Schwerdtner, in her plea for "revolutionary kindness," warned about the controversies surrounding the Left Party's decision to assist Friedrich Merz's Chancellorship bid, pointing out the dangers of the CDU's politics encroaching upon the Left's general news agenda.
