Smoldering Fuses: Are Leftists Too Comfortable in Complacency?
The political left appears to hold an excessively firm stance.
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The soirée was intended to ignite unity, yet elements of disunity persisted: antisemitism, Israel, arms, and Russia. Even governing amidst the Left seems tenuous.
At the close of the Left party conference in Chemnitz, the party leadership faced a resounding defeat. A proposition that party head Jan van Aken explicitly opposed still managed to pass by a narrow margin: 213 delegates voted for a resolution that aligns the Left with the controversial Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA).
This event, while seemingly unremarkable, is a scandal, even if it didn't appear tumultuous in the conference's tumult. "A catastrophic resolution," lamented the Thuringian state parliamentarian of the Left, Katharina König, on Bluesky. This means, she said, that the majority has decided that the Left no longer positions itself as #againstEveryAntisemitism.
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The JDA is a contentious issue, and van Aken's opposition is unsurprising. While some experts believe the JDA trivializes antisemitism, the proposers deny this, but they're frustrated that their proposition was repeatedly referred to committees without discussion[2].
Only 183 Delegates Stand with Van Aken
Van Aken contends that the Left found a viable compromise at last year's conference in Halle on positioning in the Middle East conflict[3]. The proposers, however, aren't satisfied. They argue that substantive clarity is required to refute accusations of antisemitism leveled against the Left based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition[1].
Jan van Aken offers a brief rebuttal but no substantial debate. "I'm against ending a scholarly debate with a party conference resolution, we can't do that," he says, eluding further discussion of the issue.
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Left MEP Özil Demirel-Böhlke vehemently opposes van Aken, saying there's no scholarly debate, only two contrasting definitions: the JDA and that of the IHRA. Demirel-Böhlke argues that evidence-based criticism of the Israeli government can be erroneously labeled as antisemitism based on the IHRA[1]. This is a controversial stance, but she receives strong support. In the digital vote, 183 delegates follow van Aken's appeal — not enough. 40 abstain. Many delegates have already left the scene by this point.
Engaging with Definitions or Cooperation?
The debate represents the undersurface of a broader discussion that permeated the entire conference. Several delegates in Chemnitz displayed a kuffiyeh to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Not just Katharina König, but other leftists also express shock on Bluesky. The resolution, writes former MP Martina Renner, is not about definitions, "but about being able to exonerate individuals and groups from the charge of antisemitism in order to continue cooperating." Indeed, the JDA contains no denial that denying Israel's right to exist is antisemitic[2].
The dispute over engaging Israel and the Middle East conflict has persisted in the party for some time, and it's becoming increasingly biased against Israel. The Left has already lost several prominent members over this issue, including former Berlin Senator for Culture, Klaus Lederer. He might not see a reason to return: On Tuesday, Left party federal board member Ulrike Eifler posted a map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X with unrecognizable Israeli borders[4]. 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 its elimination."
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In Chemnitz, the party leadership had already negotiated a Middle Eastern resolution intended to calm nerves. It simply quotes the charge that Israel commits genocide in Gaza, refraining from explicitly making the claim itself[3]. The resolution received broad approval with the backing of the party leadership.
Perennial Points of Contention
The relationship with Israel and the dispute over the antisemitism definition were merely two dimensions of the Left's ongoing feud that flared up in Chemnitz. It was intended to be a party congress of harmony, and for the most part, it was. Delegates celebrated their comeback in the federal election and encouraged each other, assuring cooperation in the next year's elections.
"The first left mayor for Berlin, that's a goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek said in her speech on Friday. She listed 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 set for Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the coming year.
"A System that we Reject"
But the Left appears to be thriving too much to avoid conflicts. Other contentious issues are the relationship with power, defense policy, and, by extension, the relationship with Russia. A delegate from Hesse lamented, during an evening debate on Friday, that they see chunks of the party doggedly clinging to beliefs that are increasingly detached from reality, particularly in the realms of war and peace[2]. This appears to dismiss the fact that repeated calls to rearmament have valid reasons, namely the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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A motion calling for the resignation of the Left Party's ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern received much applause. "We are accountable to our class and the people, not to a system we reject," said one of the proposers. Behind this is rejection of "war credits," with several speakers drawing a parallel to 1914[2]. However, it also seems to reflect a broader rejection of government participation "under capitalist conditions"— a viewpoint that likely represents only a minority, but one that is audible.
Success is Called into Question
Ines Schwerdtner, the party chair, gave a counter-speech 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 already decided that such a case should not happen again. Schwerdtner urged the party conference not to "set a precedent." This motion was rejected with 219 votes in favor, 192 against, and 39 abstentions.
In the end, all lingering disputes were overshadowed, some might say camouflaged. There was reliable applause for familiar slogans. This will likely suffice for a while, especially since many new members probably aren't yet interested in resolving old disputes. But in the long run? There's a question mark hanging over the success of the Left Party.
- The controversy surrounding the Left party's endorsement of the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) persists, with some arguing that substantive clarity is required to refute accusations of antisemitism leveled against the Left.
- In the digital vote, 183 delegates of the Left party followed Jan van Aken's appeal, while 40 abstained, indicating a significant division within the party on the JDA issue.
- The debate over the JDA and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism represents a smaller conflict that is part of a broader discussion within the Left party, including issues of power, defense policy, and relations with Russia.
- Left party federal board member Ulrike Eifler drew controversy with a map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X with unrecognizable Israeli borders, which the party leadership later distanced themselves from.
- The Left party conference in Chemnitz focused on a number of issues, including electoral strategy, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and defense policy, as well as internal disputes and controversies that may challenge the party's success in future elections.
