The Last-Minute Drama: A Setback for the Left Party's Comfortable Position
The Left Appears Undeniably Overzealous
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The Left Party's conference in Chemnitz was anticipated to be a harmonious affair, and for the most part, it was. Yet, underlying conflicts bubbled to the surface, rearing their heads once again: antisemitism and Israel, armaments, and Russia. Governing isn't even a given within the Left Party.
At the ending ceremony, the party leadership faced a clear defeat. A motion, counter to the advice of party chief Jan van Aken, still passed by a slim margin – 213 delegates opted for a resolution backing the so-called Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA).
At first glance, this might seem insignificant. But it signifies a significant upset. Thuringia's Left Party state parliamentarian, Katharina König, voiced her thoughts on Bluesky, "A short-sighted resolution. Now, the Left no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism."
News Flash Van Aken at the Party Conference: Left Party Leader Praises Merz’s Trip: “Should Keep Flying Directly”
The JDA is a contentious topic. Experts perceive it as trivializing antisemitism, which is why van Aken opposed the motion. The proposers refute this accusation, but they're upset that their motion was constantly delayed without proper discussion.
183 Delegates Stand with van Aken
Van Aken contends that the Left Party found a viable compromise last year in Halle regarding Middle Eastern politics. This resolution dealt with positioning in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The proposers are not satisfied. They wish to "create content clarity to refute false, defamatory accusations against the Left," one of them said.
Van Aken delivers a quick rebuttal, but the limited discussion time hindered any real debate due to time constraints. Earlier in the day, the conference honored the late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer.
News Flash "Almost Fainted" Jan van Aken Talks About His Rheinmetall Shares
Left Party MEP Reşit Özdemirel-Böhlke vehemently opposes van Aken, arguing that there's no academic debate, only two competing definitions: the JDA and the IHRA. She stresses that the IHRA definition can be used to discredit any critique of the Israeli government as antisemitism. This is controversial, yet she receives a warm response. In the digital vote, only 183 delegates support van Aken's argument, but it wasn't nearly enough. 40 abstained. Many attendees were no longer in attendance by this point.
Debating Definitions or Cooperation?
The dispute over the antisemitism definition was part of a larger, underlying disagreement that ran throughout the conference. Several delegates wore keffiyehs in support of the Palestinian people in Chemnitz, as they stated.
Not just Katharina König, but other leftists are equally appalled on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, explains the former MP Martina Renner, but about the ability to exonerate people and groups from the accusation of antisemitism to continue cooperating. Indeed, the JDA allows denying Israel's right to exist as not being antisemitic.
The disagreement over Israel and the Israel-Palestine conflict has been an ongoing battle within the party for quite some time, and it seems to be shifting more in favor of Israel. The Left Party has already lost several prominent members over this issue, including former Berlin Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer. He might not see much reason to return. On Tuesday, Left party federal board member Ulrike Eifler posted a map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X, where Israel's borders were not recognizable. Two days later, the party executive distanced itself from "any call, statement, or visual representation that, under the guise of solidarity with the Palestinian population, denies the existence of Israel or promotes the elimination of Israel." (More on this here.)
A Compromise Paper on the Middle East
In Chemnitz, the party executive had already negotiated a Middle East resolution, meant to calm the waters. It only cites the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, but does not explicitly make the accusation itself.
News Flash The Left argues about war and peace before they vote, "The Israeli government and its allies must be held accountable," says delegate Hana Qetinaj from Frankfurt, one of the applicants, during this debate. The Left has lost credibility in this matter, she complains. "A misguided moral equivalence during a genocide does not do justice to what is happening there." With the backing of the party executive, the paper receives overwhelming support.
The Same Old Points of Contention
Israel's relationship and the conflict over the antisemitism definition were just two aspects of the Left's ongoing strife that flared up in Chemnitz. It was meant to be a harmony-focused party conference, and for the most part, it was. The delegates celebrated their return in the federal election and confidently assured one another that their success streak would continue in the next election year.
"Berlin's first left mayor, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek emphasized during her speech on Friday. She listed all the upcoming elections: in September, municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, in March 2026, state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The Left has never been in parliament in both federal states, and the party leadership hopes that will change. Elections are also coming up in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania next year.
A System We Reject
But the Left may be too successful to avoid conflict. Other sticking points relate to the relationship with power, defense policy, and, by extension, the relationship with Russia. Wiesbaden city councilor Brigitte Forßbohm pointed out in the evening debate on Friday that she sees portions of the party increasingly drifting away from reality, especially when it comes to questions regarding war and peace.
News Flash While such sentiments are far from being a majority within the Left Party, it was still surprising that they were voiced openly in Chemnitz. The party conference on Saturday unanimously rejected the reintroduction of conscription and other compulsory services.
A motion demanding the resignation of Left Party ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania earned applause. "We are accountable to our class and the people, and we have no accountability towards a system we reject," one of the proposers articulated. Behind this sentiment is resistance against "war bonds," and several speakers drew a parallel to 1914. However, the general rejection of government participation "under the conditions of capitalism" also seems to be reflected in these views – a sentiment that likely only a minority supports. But it exists, and it cannot be denied.
A Question Mark over Success
In response to the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, party leader Ines Schwerdtner delivered the counter-speech. "Dears, I agree with everything you said in substance." She contended it formally: The guiding motion had already decided that such a case should not happen again. Schwerdtner appealed to the party conference not to "set a precedent." This motion was rejected by 219 to 192 votes, with 39 abstentions.
In the end, all the long-standing conflicts were overshadowed by success, one could argue: glossed over. The applause for familiar slogans persisted, a phenomenon likely to sustain, especially with the influx of new members. The party has doubled its membership to over 112,000 in just one and a half years due to their comeback. However, the dissent remains, and there's a question mark over the Left Party's enduring success.
- Antisemitism and Israel, armaments, and Russia were underlying points of contention that bubbled to the surface during the Left Party's conference in Chemnitz, despite the overall harmonious affair.
- The JDA motion passed by a slim margin, against the advice of party chief Jan van Aken, is a significant upset, according to Thuringia's Left Party state parliamentarian, Katharina König, who argued on Bluesky that the Left no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism.
- The dispute over the antisemitism definition was part of a larger disagreement that ran throughout the conference. Several delegates wore keffiyehs in support of the Palestinian people, and it was not just about defining antisemitism, but about the ability to exonerate people and groups from the accusation of antisemitism to continue cooperating.
- A system we reject was a point brought up during the party conference, expressing resistance against "war bonds" and participation in government "under the conditions of capitalism." While this sentiment may only be a minority, it exists, and it cannot be denied. The question mark over the Left Party's enduring success remains.
