Title: Antisemitism Debate Stirs Up the Left Party Conference in Chemnitz
The left, evidently, appears overly advantaged.
By: Hubertus Volmer (Chemnitz)
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This party conference was meant to be a harmonious celebration, but old disagreements resurfaced—antisemitism and Israel, armament, and Russia. Even party unity wasn't a guarantee for everyone.
At the last moment of the Left Party's conference in Chemnitz, party leadership suffered a significant defeat. A motion that party leader Jan van Aken had explicitly spoken out against garnered a slim majority: 213 delegates voted for a resolution that aligns the Left with the so-called Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA).
A seemingly insignificant move caused a stir, even if it didn't appear so in the chaos of the conference. Thuringia state parliamentarian of the Left, Katharina König, described it as a "fatal resolution" on Bluesky. With this vote, the majority has decided that "the Left no longer stands #AgainstEveryAntisemitism."
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The JDA's controversy is palpable, and it's not without reason that van Aken opposed the motion. Some experts view the JDA as trivializing antisemitism. However, the proponents on this matter are mainly upset that their motion was allegeedly pushed to committees—for the second time.
Jan van Aken offers a quick rebuttal but fails to engage in an in-depth discussion because time is limited. "I am against ending a scientific debate through a party conference resolution, we cannot do that." He avoids taking a deeper dive into the discussion. Earlier that morning, the conference had reflected on the Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer's death.
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Left Party MEP Özdemir-Böhlke passionately opposes van Aken, stating that there is no real scientific debate—just two competing definitions: the JDA and that of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Demirel-Böhlke contends that based on the IHRA, any criticism of the Israeli government can be misconstrued as antisemitism, which is controversial but met with strong approval.
In the digital vote, only 183 delegates follow van Aken's appeal—not enough. 40 abstain. Many delegates were no longer present at this point.
Is it About Definitions or Cooperation?
The debate centers an ongoing tension that permeates the entire party conference. Several delegates wear a kufiya to show solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Not just Katharina König, but other leftists are also horrified by this on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, writes former MP Martina Renner, but about "clearing individuals and groups of antisemitism charges to continue cooperation." Indeed, the JDA doesn't imply that denying Israel's right to exist is antisemitic.
The debate on Israel and the Middle East conflict has been ongoing in the party for years, and it's increasingly moving away from Israel. Several prominent members have already left the Left Party over this, including former Berlin Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer. It remains unclear if he sees much reason to return: Two days after the party conference, 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. Three days later, the party leadership distanced itself "from any call, statement, or visual representation that, under the guise of solidarity with the Palestinian population, disavows the existence of Israel or supports its elimination." (More on this here.)
Majority for Compromise Paper on the Middle East
Before the debate, the party leadership had already negotiated a compromise Middle East resolution to ease tensions. The resolution only mentions the criticism that Israel is allegedly committing genocide in Gaza, but it doesn't explicitly make that accusation itself. This resolution received a clear majority with the party leadership's blessing.
Perpetual Points of Contention
The relationship with Israel and the definition of antisemitism were just two aspects of the Left's ongoing debate that flared up in Chemnitz. It was meant to be a party conference of harmony, and for the most part, it was. At its conclusion, members celebrated their return in the federal election and remained confident that they would continue their winning streak next year.
"The first left mayor for Berlin, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek stated in her speech on Friday. She listed upcoming elections: communal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia in September, state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate in March 2026. The Left Party has never been in parliament in both federal states, and the party leadership hopes that will change. Elections are also approaching in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the coming year.
"A System That We Reject"
But the Left Party seems to be doing too well to avoid conflicts. The other points of contention are about power relations, defense policy, and, tied to that, the relationship with Russia. Wiesbaden city councilor Brigitte Forßbohm stated in the evening debate on Friday that she sees "a chronic clinging to dogmas that are increasingly disconnected from reality" in parts of the party. This particularly applies to questions of war and peace. "The repeated calls for rearmament are ignored, as is the real reason for this, namely the Russian attack on Ukraine."
Politics Left Party Leader Confident "CDU should realize: You can't ignore the Left" While such positions are far from comprising a majority within the Left, it was still surprising that they were openly expressed at all. On Saturday, the party conference unanimously rejected the reintroduction of conscription and other compulsory services.
A motion demanding the resignation of the Left's ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern received widespread applause. "We are accountable to our class and the people, not to a system we reject," one of the proposers explained. Behind this is the rejection of "war credits," with several speakers drawing a parallel to 1914. However, there seems to be a general rejection of government participation "under the conditions of capitalism" - a sentiment that likely represents only a minority. But it exists, and it's clearly audible.
Success is marked by a question mark
Party leader Ines Schwerdtner delivers the counter-argument to the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. "Dear comrade, I agree with everything you've said in content." She argues formally: The main motion already decided that such a case should not happen again. Schwerdtner calls on the party conference not to "set a precedent." This motion was rejected with 219 to 192 votes and 39 abstentions.
In the end, all the long-standing conflicts were overshadowed, one could say: papered over. There was reliable applause for the familiar slogans. This will likely work for a while, especially since many new members are unlikely to be interested in resolving the old disputes—the party has doubled its membership to over 112,000 in just one and a half years, which is also part of the comeback. But will the dissent last? The success of the Left is marked by a question mark.
Source: ntv.de
- The Left
- Chemnitz
- Party Conference
- Jan van Aken
- Antisemitism
- Israel
- Anti-Semitism
Additional Reading:
- Some experts view the widely used International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as vague and potentially stifling free speech and open debate about Israel and Palestinian rights.
- In response, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) was created as an alternative, emphasizing a clearer, more precise definition of antisemitism that distinguishes between antisemitic acts and legitimate political critique.
- The Left Party’s endorsement of the JDA signals its rejection of the IHRA definition's broader scope, particularly concerning criticism of Israel.
- This decision reflects the party's desire to differentiate between antisemitic hate and legitimate political criticism of Israel, with significant implications for its political identity and alliances.
- Critics argue this choice could blur the boundaries between antisemitism and legitimate political opposition, potentially alienating parts of the Jewish community and weakening the party’s credibility in fighting antisemitism.
- The Left Party's backup Middle East resolution only mentions the criticism that Israel is allegedly committing genocide in Gaza and doesn't explicitly make that accusation itself.
- The Left Party's endorsement of the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA), as suggested by the slim majority during the conference in Chemnitz, may signal a shift in the party's political identity and alliances.
- The debate on the JDA, alongside the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, within the Left Party incites disagreement among its members, with some experts viewing the former as a more precise, yet potentially controversial, definition than the latter.
- The online discussions among leftists on social media platforms like Bluesky suggest a strong opposition to the JDA endorsement, with concerns that it could blur the lines between antisemitic hate and legitimate political criticism of Israel.
- The controversy surrounding the JDA and the IHRA definitions represents just one of the longer-standing debates within the Left Party, with implications for the party's relationship with the Jewish community and its credibility in fighting antisemitism.
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