Controversial finish: The Left's disarray on display at Chemnitz conference
The Liberal Faction Seems Undeniably Overly Influential
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The Left's conference in Chemnitz was intended to be a unified display of strength, but old disputes and new controversies threatened to derail the proceedings. Conflicts over antisemitism, Israel, armament, and Russia ignited passions and exposed fissures within the party.
In a dramatic turn of events, a motion that party chairman Jan van Aken vehemently opposed still managed to gain a narrow majority: the Left now officially aligns itself with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. This decision has raised eyebrows and discontent among party members, with Thuringian state parliamentarian Katharina König decrying it as a "fatal resolution" on social media.
Politics "A Scandal": Left Party Veteran Slams Jerusalem Declaration Adoption
The Jerusalem Declaration is a contentious document, and it's not difficult to understand why van Aken opposed the motion. Critics argue that the declaration trivializes antisemitism, but its supporters maintain they are frustrated by the motion being quietly sent to committees once more.
While there was no heated debate on the issue, only brief counter-arguments from Jan van Aken, 213 delegates voted in favor of the resolution. Van Aken maintains that the Left found a good compromise at the party conference in Halle last year, but it appears that the opponents desire more clarity on the issue. "We need to create content clarity to refute false, denigrating accusations against the Left," one of them explains.
Jan van Aken delivers a brief rebuttal but refrains from delving deeper into the discussion due to the event's hectic pace. It's worth noting that the party had previously commemorated late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer during the conference.
Politics "Israel's Existence Not Up for Dispute": MEP Opposes Anti-Israel Tendencies in Left Party
The debate over the Jerusalem Declaration represented the culmination of an ongoing discussion that permeated the entire conference. Several delegates showed their solidarity with the Palestinian people by wearing kufiya scarves. The conflict over antisemitism definitions and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a long-standing issue within the party, with several notable members having already departed, such as former Berlin culture senator Klaus Lederer.
Middle East Tensions Ease with Compromise Position
In an attempt to quell tensions, the party leadership had previously negotiated a Middle East resolution. The resolution acknowledged the accusation that Israel may be committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, but it did not explicitly make the accusation itself. This resolution received a clear majority with the party leadership's backing.
Echoes of Old Disputes
The relationship with Israel, the dispute over antisemitism definitions, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were just a few aspects of the ongoing feud within the Left Party that came to a head in Chemnitz. The conference was originally meant to be a celebration of the party's comeback after the federal election, but conflicts arose regarding power, defense policy, and, consequently, the relationship with Russia.
A delegate from Hesse criticized the perceived detachment from reality in parts of the party, particularly with regard to questions of war and peace. The continued call for rearmament, allegedly for the purpose of countering Russian aggression in Ukraine, was a point of contention.
Politics "War Credits and the Left": The Long History of Rejection
While these anti-war sentiments are far from being a majority within the Left Party, they were still openly expressed at the conference. On Saturday, the party conference unanimously rejected the reintroduction of conscription and other compulsory services.
A motion calling for the resignation of the Left Party ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also received strong support. "We are accountable to our class and the people, not to a system we reject," the proposer stated. Behind this sentiment is the rejection of "war credits," a stance that likely only a minority supports. However, its presence was evident.
The Future of the Left Party Uncertain
Ines Schwerdtner, the party leader, countered the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, pointing out that the main motion had already addressed the matter. She appealed to the party conference not to set a precedent. This motion was defeated, with 219 votes in favor, 192 against, and 39 abstentions.
Ultimately, all the long-standing conflicts were overshadowed, with reliable applause for familiar slogans. This may suffice for the time being, given the many new members who may not yet be interested in clarifying the old disputes - the party has grown significantly, more than doubling its membership to over 112,000 in just a year and a half. However, the underlying dissent is still audible.
Source: ntv.de
- The Left Party
- Chemnitz
- Party Conference
- Jan van Aken
- Antisemitism
- Israel
- Anti-SemitismThere is little information available regarding the Left Party's current stance on the Jerusalem Declaration following their conference in Chemnitz. However, the enrichment data does provide some insights into related topics.
One intriguing facet is the long history of rejection of "war credits" within the Left Party, which can be traced back to 1914[3]. This stems from the party's general rejection of "war credits," which encompass loans or taxes levied by governments to finance military operations during wartime.
Another connected topic is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The search results mention an annual conference hosted by the Harvard Center for Middle Eastern Studies, where various perspectives on the conflict are discussed[4].
For a deeper understanding of the Left Party's stance on the Jerusalem Declaration and related issues, it is recommended to consult the party's official communications or statements. It might also be beneficial to contact the party directly for more specific information.
- The Left Party's conference in Chemnitz was intended to display unity, but disagreements over antisemitism, Israel, armament, and Russia nearly derailed the proceedings.
- Jan van Aken, the party chairman, opposed a motion regarding the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which gained a narrow majority, causing discontent among party members.
- The Left Party had previously commemorated late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer during the conference, despite the ongoing debate about the Jerusalem Declaration.
- While van Aken expressed anti-war sentiments still exist within the Left Party, they were outnumbered by those in favor of rearmament, potentially for countering Russian aggression in Ukraine.
