A Last Minute Stir: The Left Party Wrestles with Controversy
The Liberal Faction Showing Excessive Loyalty to Established Ideologies
Article By: Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
Connect With Me: Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Print Copy Link
The party conference was meant to be an amiable affair, and for the most part, it was. Yet, old disagreements kept resurfacing, casting a shadow over the Left Party's unity: antisemitism, Israel, arms, and Russia. Even governing isn't straightforward for all leftists.
The party leadership suffered a surprising setback in the final vote of the Left Party's conference in Chemnitz. A motion against which party leader Jan van Aken explicitly opposed, yet gained a narrow majority: 213 delegates voted for a resolution that aligns the Left Party with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism.
At first glance, this might seem unremarkable, yet it ignited a storm of controversy—even van Aken himself labelled it a "fatal resolution." With this, the majority has decided, "that the Left no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism."
Politics Van Aken at the Party Conference: A Praise for Merz's Trip wanting it to "Continue Immediately"
The Jerusalem Declaration sparks debate, and for valid reasons. Van Aken positioned himself against the motion. Critics argue that the declaration trivialized antisemitism. The petitioners, however, are angry that their motion was being brushed aside—for the second time.
Only 183 Delegates Support van Aken
Van Aken maintains the Left Party found a suitable compromise at the party conference in Halle last year. The agreement centered on the party's position in the Middle East conflict. That isn't enough for the petitioners. "We need to create content clarity to refute false, denigrating accusations" against the Left, one of them says.
Jan van Aken presents brief counter-arguments, making no attempt for a real discussion due to time constraints. "I am against ending a scientific debate through a party conference resolution, we cannot do that." He skirts the issue without diving deeper.
Politics "Almost Fell Off My Chair" Jan van Aken Talks About His Rheinmetall Stock**
Left MP Özdemir-Böhlke vehemently opposes van Aken, arguing that there is no such scientific debate, only two competing definitions: the Jerusalem Declaration and that of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Demirel-Böhlke claims that, based on IHRA, every criticism of the Israeli government can be smeared as antisemitism. This is contentious, but she receives strong applause. In the digital vote, 183 delegates follow van Aken's appeal - not enough. 40 abstain. Many delegates are absent at this point.
Is It About Definitions or Cooperation?
The debate highlights an ongoing issue that ran throughout the party conference. Several delegates in Chemnitz wore a kuffiyeh to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, as they put it.
Katharina König, a Thuringian state parliamentarian of the Left, voices her displeasure on Bluesky, saying it's not about definitions, but about being able to vindicate people and groups from being labelled antisemitic to keep cooperating. The dispute over handling Israel and the Middle East conflict has been a contentious issue within the party for a long time and is increasingly biased against Israel.
Majority for a compromise paper on the Middle East
In Chemnitz, the party executive had already negotiated a Middle East resolution intended to calm tensions. The resolution merely acknowledges the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, without explicitly making the accusation itself. The resolution received a clear majority, with the support of the party executive.
Antisemitism, Arms, and Russia: The Same Old Battlegrounds
The relationship with Israel and the dispute over antisemitism were just two of the Left Party's enduring conflicts that surfaced in Chemnitz. The conference was supposed to be a congress of harmony, and for the most part, it was. Delegates celebrated their return in the federal election and reassured each other that the winning streak would continue in the next year's elections.
"Berlin's first left mayor, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek said in her Friday speech. 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 has never been in parliament in both federal states, and the party leadership hopes that will change. Elections are also scheduled in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
However, the Left Party seems to be overachieving, creating potential disagreements. Other contentious areas include the relationship with power, defense policy, and connections to Russia. A delegate from Hesse said in the evening debate that she sees "a persistent clinging to beliefs that are increasingly detached from reality" in parts of the party, especially concerning questions of war and peace. "The repeated call for rearmament is overlooked, which has a real cause, namely the Russian attack on Ukraine."
Politics Left Party Leader Confident: "CDU Should Realize: They Can't Ignore Us Anymore" While such positions are far from being a majority within the Left Party, it was still surprising that they were openly expressed at all. On Saturday, the party congress unanimously rejected the reintroduction of conscription and other compulsory services.
A motion calling for the resignation of Left Party ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern received much applause. "We are responsible to our class and the people, and we have no responsibility to a system we reject," said one of the proposers. Behind this lies the rejection of "war credits"; several speakers drew a parallel to 1914. However, the general rejection of government participation "under the conditions of capitalism" also seems to reflect these views—a view that likely only a minority supports. But it exists, and it is clearly audible.
Success Comes With Questions
Ines Schwerdtner, the party leader, delivered the counter-argument to the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. "Dear comrade, I agree with everything you said in terms of content." She argued formally: The main motion had already decided that such a case should not happen again. Schwerdtner called on the party congress not to "set a precedent." This motion was rejected by 219 to 192 votes with 39 abstentions.
In the end, all long-standing conflicts were overshadowed, one could also say: papered over. There was reliable applause for the familiar slogans. This will likely suffice for a while, especially since many new members probably aren't interested in clarifying the old disputes right now. But in the long run? There is a question mark hanging over the success of the Left Party.
Source: ntv.de
- The Left Party
- Chemnitz
- Party Congress
- Jan van Aken
- Antisemitism
- Israel
- Anti-Semitism
Enrichment Insights:
- Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA): This is a 2020 document that aims to provide a framework for understanding antisemitism. It seeks to distinguish between antisemitic speech and criticism of Israel's policies while promoting freedom of speech and combating antisemitism.
- IHRA Definition of Antisemitism: This is a 2016 definition issued by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). It has been controversial due to its perceived suppression of criticism of Israel's policies by labeling it as antisemitic.
- **The debate about the definition of antisemitism often revolves around the conflation of anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Critics argue that broader definitions, like IHRA's, may stifle anti-Zionist discourse, while supporters argue they are necessary to combat antisemitism.
- **The Left Party, due to its history and ideology, may align more with the JDA since it seeks to preserve the right to critique Israel's policies while combating antisemitism. However, specific details about the Left Party's position would require direct statements or policy documents from the party itself.
- At the Left Party conference in Chemnitz, a motion was passed that aligns the party with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, sparking debate and controversy among members.
- Jan van Aken, the party leader, opposed the resolution due to concerns that it trivialized antisemitism, and he argued that there should be a scientific debate instead of resolutions in party conferences.
- The debate at the conference highlighted an ongoing issue within the Left Party: balancing the need for content clarity to refute accusations of antisemitism while maintaining solidarity with the Palestinian people.
- Other contentious areas within the Left Party include defense policy and connections to Russia, with some delegates expressing concerns about the party's stance on rearmament and the Russian attack on Ukraine.
