Left Party's Unexpected Move Stirs Controversy: Antisemitism Debate Overtakes Congress
The political left appears to be undeniably overconfident in their perspective.
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The Left Party's congress in Chemnitz was flooded with hopes of a harmonious gathering, but hidden disputes continued to resurface, causing a whirlwind of controversy: antisemitism, Israel, armaments, and Russia. Even the party's governance wasn't agreed upon by all Left Party members.
In the climax of the event, the party leadership suffered a formidable defeat. A motion that party head Jan van Aken explicitly opposed was shockingly passed by a narrow majority: 213 delegates voted for a resolution aligning the Left Party with the controversial Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA).
Although this may seem mundane in the chaotic atmosphere of the congress, it marks a significant shift, even if it didn't appear that way. Thuringian state parliamentarian of the Left Party, Katharina König, commented on Bluesky that this decision means that "the Left Party no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism."
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The JDA is a divisive issue, and it's no wonder van Aken opposed the motion. Some scholars view this declaration as trivialized antisemitism, while supporters challenge this condemnation. The proposers are disgruntled that their motion was repeatedly sent to committees without proper discussion.
Only 183 Delegates Support van Aken
Van Aken argues that last year's congress in Halle found a good compromise on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The proposers aren't confident in this compromise. They aim to create "content clarity to refute false, denunciatory accusations" against the Left Party, one of them explained.
Jan van Aken presents a brief counter-argument, but there's no real debate, as time is limited. "I'm against ending a scholarly debate through a party congress resolution, we can't do that," he states, without delving deeper into the issue.
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Left Party MEP Özil Demirel-Böhlke strongly opposes van Aken, stating that there's no scholarly debate, only two competing definitions: the JDA and the IHRA. Demirel-Böhlke contends that based on the IHRA, any critique of the Israeli government can be regarded as antisemitic. This assertion is controversial, but she receives strong applause. In the digital vote, 183 delegates follow van Aken's appeal, but it's not enough. 40 abstain. Numerous delegates are no longer present at this time.
JDA Controversy at the Core
The JDA debate is the highlight of an underlying conflict that permeated the entire congress. Several delegates in Chemnitz express their solidarity with the Palestinian people by wearing a kufiya, as they put it.
Not only Katharina Köönig, but other leftists are taken aback on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, writes former MP Martina Renner, but about being able to absolve individuals and groups from charges of antisemitism to continue cooperating. Indeed, the JDA contains no indication that denying Israel's right to exist is antisemitic.
The debate over Israel and the Middle East has been ongoing within the party for a long time, and it's increasingly leaning toward Israel. Several prominent members have already departed the Left over this issue, including former Berlin culture senator Klaus Lederer. He might not see much reason to return: On Tuesday, Left federal board member Ulrike Eifler posted an unrecognizable map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X, where Israel's borders were not visible. Two days later, the party leadership distanced itself from "any call, statement, or visual representation that, under the guise of solidarity with the Palestinian population, negates the existence of Israel or promotes the elimination of Israel."
Middle East Resolution Passed
In Chemnitz, the party leadership had already negotiated a Middle East resolution aiming to calm tensions. It merely quotes the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, without making the accusation directly. The resolution was passed with a clear majority, having the party leadership's backing.
Long-Standing Conflicts Overshadowed
The relationship with Israel and the JDA debate were only two aspects of the ongoing conflicts within the Left Party that surfaced in Chemnitz. The party congress was intended to celebrate unity, and for the most part, it succeeded. Delegates celebrated their victory in the federal election and pledged to continue their winning streak in the following year's elections.
"Berlin's first left mayor, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek said in her speech on Friday. She outlined all the 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 coming up in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern next year.
"A system we reject"
However, the Left seems to be successful enough to avoid conflicts. The other points of contention revolve around the relationship with power, defense policy, and, connected to that, the relationship with Russia. A delegate from Hesse stated in the evening debate on Friday that she was experiencing "a persistent clinging to beliefs that are increasingly detached from reality" in parts of the party when it comes to questions of war and peace. "The repeated calls for rearmament are overlooked, which have a real cause, namely the Russian invasion of Ukraine."
Politics Left Party Leader Confident: "CDU Should Realize: They Can't Ignore Us Anymore" While such positions are far from the majority within the Left Party, they were still disclosed in Chemnitz. On Saturday, the party conference unanimously rejected the reintroduction of conscription and other compulsory services.
A motion demanding the resignation of the Left Party's ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern garnered significant applause. "We are accountable to our class and the people, not to a system we reject," one of the proposers stated. Behind this is the rejection of "war credits," with several speakers drawing a parallel to 1914. However, the general rejection of government participation "under capitalist conditions" also seems to be at play – a sentiment that likely only a minority supports. But it exists, and it's unmistakable.
Question Mark Over Party's Success
Ines Schwerdtner, the party leader, delivered the rebuttal to the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. "Dear comrade, I agree with everything you've said in principle." She argued procedurally: The main motion already decided that such a scenario should not happen again. Schwerdtner urged the party conference not to "set a precedent." This motion was dismissed with 219 votes to 192 and 39 abstentions.
In the end, all the long-standing conflicts were overshadowed, one might say, smoothed over. There was reliable applause for the familiar slogans. This will likely hold for a while, especially since many new members probably aren't initially interested in clarifying old disputes. But in the long run? The success of the Left Party has a question mark hanging over it.
- The Left Party
- Chemnitz
- Party Conference
- Jan van Aken
- Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA)
- Antisemitism
- Anti-Antisemitism
- Israel
- PalestineThe Left Party's adoption of the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) at their Chemnitz conference carries several significant implications:
- Definition of Antisemitism: The JDA challenges the broad and often controversial definition of antisemitism promoted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). This alternate definition aims to strike a balance between antisemitism awareness and free speech regarding Israel and Palestine.
- Political Positioning: By adopting the JDA, the Left Party aligns itself with other voices advocating for a more context-aware approach to antisemitism and Israel-Palestine issues. This positioning may be perceived as promoting freedom of expression and supporting Palestinian self-determination but could also provoke criticism for downplaying or normalizing antisemitism.
- Criticisms and Controversies: The IHRA definition has been criticized for potentially conflating legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. In contrast, the JDA is seen as offering a clearer distinction between criticism and antisemitism, but it also faces criticisms for being too lenient on antisemitism and insufficiently addressing the specific needs and concerns of Jewish communities. The Left Party's move may satisfy those who feel constrained by the IHRA's broader scope but could face backlash from those who argue for the IHRA's more comprehensive approach.
- International Context: The adoption reflects ongoing debates over how to define and combat antisemitism without unintentionally limiting legitimate criticism of Israel's policies. This decision aligns the Left Party with other voices globally advocating for a more nuanced understanding of antisemitism and Israel-Palestine issues. However, specific details about the Left Party's adoption of the JDA at their Chemnitz conference are not provided in the given search results.
- The Left Party's endorsement of the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) in Chemnitz is causing ripples within the party, as it explicitly aligns them with the controversial document that challenges the widely accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
- The adoption of the JDA by the Left Party could position them among others advocating for a more context-aware approach to antisemitism and Israel-Palestine issues, potentially appealing to those who feel constrained by the IHRA's broader scope.
- In Chemnitz, the Left Party's decision to adopt the JDA sparked fierce discussions, with questions surrounding the balance between antisemitism awareness and free speech, causing a schism within the party membership.
- The JDA debate reflects ongoing international debates on defining and combating antisemitism without encroaching on legitimate criticism of Israel's policies, while also raising concerns about whether the JDA is too lenient on antisemitism and does not meet the specific needs and concerns of Jewish communities.
- As some scholars view the JDA as a trivialized approach to antisemitism, the Left Party's decision has raised eyebrows, and the party leadership may need to address these concerns in order to maintain their appeal and credibility.
