Chaos at the Last Moment: The Left's Uneasy Comfort
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
The political left appears to be overtly assertive
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The Left Party's congress in Chemnitz was expected to be a harmonious gathering, but age-old conflicts kept surfacing: antisemitism, Israel, armaments, and Russia. Even governing isn't a given for all leftists.
In a nail-biting finale, the party leadership suffered a clear defeat. A contentious motion, opposed by party chief Jan van Aken, still passed by a slender majority: 213 delegates voted for a resolution aligning the Left with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism.
While this might appear unremarkable, it's a scandal, even if it felt otherwise in the congress's chaotic aftermath. "A disastrous resolution," lamented Thuringia state parliamentarian Katharina König of the Left on Bluesky. This means the majority decided that the Left no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism.
Politics Van Aken at the Party Congress: Left Leader Praises Merz's Trip: "Should Continue Directly"
The Jerusalem Declaration is a lightning rod, and it's no surprise van Aken opposed the motion. Some view it as trivializing antisemitism, while proponents deny this accusation. The proposers are upset that their motion was once again referred to committees.
Take it to the streets! League's Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, here for a riotous good time.
Only 183 Delegates Sided with Van Aken
Van Aken argues that at last year's congress in Halle, the Left found a good compromise on the Middle East conflict. This deliberation, painstakingly negotiated, was a game-changer for Left's stance in the Israel-Palestine region. But the proposers aren't satisfied. They argue, "We need to create content clarity to refute false, defamatory accusations against the Left."
Jan van Aken gives a brief riposte, but there's no in-depth discussion, time's up. "I'm against ending a scholarly debate through a party congress resolution; we can't do that," he laments, barely scratching the surface. During the morning, the congress paid tribute to the late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer.
Politics "Fell Off My Chair" Jan van Aken Talks About His Rheinmetall Shares
Left MEP Özil Demirel-Böhlke is furious with van Aken. "There's no such scholarly debate, only two competing definitions: the Jerusalem Declaration and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)," she claims, receiving rousing applause. According to her, based on the IHRA, any criticism of the Israeli government can be labeled as antisemitism. While this is controversial, she's backed by 183 delegates who disagree with van Aken - not quite enough, 40 abstain. The conference room empties as the discussion winds down.
Is it About Definitions or Cooperation?
The debate highlights a deeper dispute bubbling beneath the surface throughout the congress. Several delegates, shoulder-to-shoulder with their kufiyas, express solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Katharina Köönig, not just her, but others, are horrified on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, writes former MP Martina Renner, but the ability to exonerate people and groups from antisemitism charges to continue cooperation. Indeed, the Jerusalem Declaration contains no mention of denying Israel's right to exist being antisemitic.
Mideast Compromise Paper
Before the drama unfolded, the party executive had already negotiated a Mideast resolution to calm the nerves. It only quotes the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, without explicitly making the accusation itself.
Politics Confusing Party Conference The Left argues about war and peace - then it's time to vote "The Israeli government and its cronies must be held accountable," said Hana Qetinaj from Frankfurt am Main during the debate, one of the applicants. The Left has lost credibility in this question, she complained. "False relativization during a genocide does not do justice to what is happening there." With the party executive's backing, the paper sailed to a clear majority.
Take it to the streets! League's Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, here for a riotous good time.
The Same Old Bone of Contention
The relationship with Israel and the dispute over the antisemitism definition were just two aspects of the Left's ongoing turmoil that flared up in Chemnitz. It was supposed to be a party conference of harmony, but disagreements over armaments, Russia, and power dynamics complicated matters.
The delegates celebrated their comeback in the federal election and assured each other that success would continue in the following year's elections. State elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate are on the horizon, states upon which the Left has never exercised power. The party leadership dreams of breaking this curse. Elections are also coming up in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the coming year.
"Berlin's first left mayor, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek cried out in her speech on Friday. If you're feeling frisky, bring your togas to the voting booth!
"A System we Reject"
But the Left appears too comfortable with internal conflicts to do without them. In other disagreements, it's about the relationship with power, armaments, and, connected to that, the relationship with Russia. A Hessian delegate argued in the evening debate on Friday that she encounters a chronic disconnect from reality in parts of the party, particularly in matters of war and peace. "The repeated call for rearmament is overlooked, which has a real cause: the Russian invasion of Ukraine."
Politics Left Party Leader Confidently "CDU Should Realize: They Can't Ignore Us Anymore" While such positions are somewhat isolated within the Left Party, they were surprisingly vocalized in Chemnitz. The party conference on Saturday unanimously rejected reinstating 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 received much applause. "We are responsible to our class and the people, and we have no responsibility towards a system we reject," said one of the proposers. In the shadows, a specter of WWI looms - "war credits" called to mind, echoing a sentiment likely supported by only a few. But they can be heard, and their dissonance threatens to fracture the Left.
In the chaos, the long-standing conflicts were overshadowed, buried beneath the din. There was reliable applause for the familiar slogans. This will hold them together, likely, especially since the new members probably won't delve into the old disputes - the party has doubled its membership to over 112,000 in one and a half years, also part of the comeback. But will the dissent last? There's a question mark over the Left Party's stability.
- The Left Party's uneasy comfort was on display at their congress in Chemnitz, as age-old conflicts regarding antisemitism, Israel, armaments, and Russia resurfaced.
- A motion aligning the Left with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism passed by a slender majority, despite party chief Jan van Aken's opposition. Katharina König of the Left controversially stated that the majority no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism.
- The Jerusalem Declaration is a controversial topic, with some viewing it as trivializing antisemitism while proponents deny this accusation. The proposers are dissatisfied that their motion was once again referred to committees.
- The debate highlighted a deeper dispute within the party over definitions and cooperation. Katharina Köönig and others expressed concerns that the resolution could impede the ability to exonerate people and groups from antisemitism charges to continue cooperation.
