Last-Minute Drama: The Left's Cozy Comfort Zone
The obvious bias of the political left is evident.
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The Left Party's annual conference was supposed to radiate unity, and mostly did. Yet, long-standing conflicts still surface: antisemitism, Israel, arms, and Russia. Even staying in power isn't a given for all leftists.
At the end of the Left Party's conference in Chemnitz, party leadership suffered a clear defeat. A motion they opposed, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, garnered a narrow yet significant majority: 213 delegates voted for the resolution, putting the Left officially behind this declaration.
This seemingly insignificant vote is a bombshell, although it didn't appear that way amidst the conference's chaos. Thuringian state parliamentarian Katharina König, a Leftist, calls it a "fatal resolution" on Bluesky, stating that the Left no longer stands for #againstanyantisemitism with this vote.
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The Jerusalem Declaration is controversial, and rightly so. Party leader Jan van Aken opposed the motion, as experts view this declaration as trivializing antisemitism. Proponents argue they're frustrated that their motion was continuously relegated to committees without further discussion.
Only 183 Delegates Support Van Aken
Van Aken argues that the Left found a good compromise at the conference in Halle last year. This meticulously negotiated resolution aimed to place the party on Middle East conflict positioning. Proponents find this resolution insufficient, seeking to "create content clarity to counter false, denunciatory accusations" against the Left.
Jan van Aken makes a brief defense, but there's no genuine discussion due to time constraints. "I am against ending a scientific debate through a party conference resolution," he states, refraining from delving deeper into the issue. Earlier in the morning, the conference had remembered the late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer.
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Left MEP Özil Demirel-Böhlke passionately opposes van Aken, stating that there is no genuine scientific debate; only two competing definitions exist: the Jerusalem Declaration 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 labeled as antisemitism. This is controversial, yet she receives supportive cheers. In the digital vote, only 183 delegates follow van Aken's appeal - not nearly enough. 40 abstain. Many delegates have already left by this point.
Is It About Definitions or Cooperation?
The debate is the conference's highlight, symbolizing an underlying dispute that persists throughout. Several delegates in Chemnitz wear a kuffiyeh to support the Palestinian people.
Not just Katharina Köönig, but other leftists are concernstruck on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, writes former MP Martina Renner, "but about being able to exonerate individuals and groups from the antisemitism charge in order to continue cooperating." The Jerusalem Declaration lacks any indication that denying Israel's right to exist is antisemitic.
The Middle East conflict dispute has turmoiled the party for a long time, and the pro-Israel stance has gained traction. Several prominent members have already left the Left over this, including former Berlin senator for culture Klaus Lederer. He may not see much reason to return: On Tuesday, Left federal board member Ulrike Eifler posted a map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X, where Israel's borders were unclear. 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 Israel's existence or promoting its elimination." (More on this here.)
The Left Splits Over Middle East Policy
In Chemnitz, the party executive had already negotiated a Middle East resolution meant to quell the uproar. It only quotes the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, but does not make the accusation itself. "The Israeli government and its henchmen must be held accountable," says delegate Hana Qetinaj from Frankfurt am Main, who proposed the resolution, in this debate. The Left has lost credibility in this matter, she complains. "[A] misleading portrayal during a genocide does not do justice to what is happening there." With the party executive's backing, the paper receives a clear majority.
Moments of Strife
Israel and the Middle East conflict were only two points of contention that flared up in Chemnitz. It was meant to be a party 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 coming year.
"The first left mayor for Berlin, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek stated in her speech on Friday. She listed all the upcoming elections: in September, regional elections in North Rhine-Westphalia; in March 2026, state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate; and elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the coming year. The Left has never been in parliament in both federal states, and the party leadership hopes that will change.
"A System We Reject"
But the Left seems to be enjoying too much success to avoid conflicts. The other points of contention center around the relationship with power, defense policy, and, connected to that, the relationship with Russia. Wiesbaden city councilor Brigitte Forßbohm says in the evening debate on Friday that she sees "a chronic clinging to beliefs increasingly disconnected from reality" in parts of the party. This especially applies to questions of war and peace. "The repeated call for rearmament is ignored, which has a real cause, namely the Russian attack on Ukraine."
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A motion calling for the resignation of the Left Party ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern received strong approval. "We are responsible to our class and the people, not to a system we reject," said one of the proposers. This motion was rejected with 219 to 192 votes and 39 abstentions.
In the end, all the long-standing conflicts were pushed aside, one could even say: swept under the rug. There was reliable applause for familiar slogans, which will likely suffice for a while, particularly since many new members have no immediate interest in resolving the old disputes - the party has doubled its membership to over 112,000 in just over a year, marking the party's comeback. However, will the dissent last? The success of the Left Party remains questionable.
- The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which the Left Party recently endorsed, has sparked debate due to its perceived trivialization of antisemitism, and experts have expressed concerns about this resolution.
- Despite Jan van Aken's opposition to the Jerusalem Declaration, only 183 delegates voted in his favor during the conference, indicating a significant disagreement within the party on this issue.
- Critics like Özil Demirel-Böhlke argue that the debate over the Jerusalem Declaration is not a matter of definitions but about being able to exonerate individuals and groups from an antisemitism charge in order to continue cooperation.
- In addition to the antisemitism controversy, the Middle East conflict continues to be a point of contention within the Left Party, causing disagreements over Israel's right to exist and the Israeli government's actions, particularly in Gaza.
