The political left appears undeniably overly influential and powerful.
Rewritten Article:
Last-Minute Drama: The Left Party's Fractious Gathering
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The Left Party's congress in Chemnitz was meant to be a harmonious affair, yet old disputes kept bubbling to the surface: antisemitism, Israel, arms, and Russia. Even governing unity isn't a given for all leftists.
Ultimately, the Left Party's leadership suffered a clear setback. A motion vehemently opposed by party chief Jan van Aken nonetheless managed to pass by a narrow margin: 213 delegates voted for a resolution aligning the Left with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism.
On the surface, this may seem unremarkable, but it's still a scandal. "A disastrous resolution," Thuringia's Left Party state parliamentarian Katharina König remarks on Bluesky, "This means the majority has decided that the Left no longer stands for #againstEveryAntisemitism."
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The Jerusalem Declaration is contentious, and it's no wonder van Aken opposed it. Experts see this declaration as trivializing antisemitism. The proposers deny this, but they're upset that their motion kept being sent to committees without proper discussion.
Only 183 Delegates Stand with Van Aken
Van Aken argues the Left Party found a decent compromise on this issue last year at the Halle congress. That resolution addressed positioning in the Middle East conflict. Yet, the proposers aren't satisfied. They say they need "clarity to ward off false, defaming accusations" against the Left.
Jan van Aken quickly counter-argues, but there's no real discussion; time is too short. "I'm against ending a scholarly debate with a party congress resolution; we can't do that," he says, without elaborating further. Earlier in the day, the congress paid tribute to the late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer.
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Left Party MEP Özil Demirel-Böhlke strongly opposes van Aken, stating there's no scholarly debate, just two different definitions: the Jerusalem Declaration and that of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Demirel-Böhlke maintains that, according to the IHRA, any criticism of the Israeli government can be classified as antisemitism. This stance is controversial but receives much applause. In the digital vote, only 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 mirrored an underlying discussion that ran throughout the congress. Several delegates in Chemnitz displayed kuffiyehs to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, as they stated.
Not only Katharina König, but other leftists are alarmed on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, former MP Martina Renner writes, "It's about being able to absolve individuals and groups from charges of antisemitism in order to continue cooperating." Indeed, the Jerusalem Declaration contains no indication that denying Israel's right to exist is antisemitic.
The debate about handling Israel and the Middle East conflict has been ongoing in the party for years, and the bias against Israel has grown more pronounced. Several prominent members have left the Left Party due to this issue, including former Berlin Cultural Senator Klaus Lederer. He may find little motivation to return: On Tuesday, Left Party Federal Board Member Ulrike Eifler posted a map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X, where Israel's borders were not recognizable. 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, denies the existence of Israel or promotes its elimination." (More on this here.)
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In Chemnitz, the party leadership had already negotiated a Middle East resolution to calm nerves. It only quotes the accusation that Israel is committing a genocide in the Gaza Strip, without explicitly making the accusation itself.
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The Left has lost credibility in this question, delegate Hana Qetinaj from Frankfurt am Main, one of the applicants, states in this debate. "A false relativization during a genocide does not do justice to what is happening there." The Left's resolution, blessed by the party leadership, receives a clear majority.
The Same Old Points of Contention
The relationship with Israel and the dispute over the antisemitism definition were just two aspects of the Left's ongoing dispute that surfaced in Chemnitz. It was supposed to be a party conference of unity, and for the most part, it was. The delegates celebrated their comeback in the federal election and assured each other that the success streak would continue 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 listed all the upcoming elections: municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia in September, state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate in March 2026. The Left party has never been in parliament in both federal states, and the party leadership hopes this will change. Elections are also coming up in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the coming year.
"A System We Reject"
But the Left seems to be doing too well to avoid conflicts. The other points of contention are about the relationship with power, defense policy, and, connected to that, the relationship with Russia. Wiesbaden city councilor Brigitte Forßbohm commented in the evening debate on Friday that she sees parts of the party "clinging to beliefs that increasingly diverge from reality." This particularly affects questions of war and peace. "The repeated calls for rearmament are ignored," she said, which has a real reason: the Russian attack on Ukraine.
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While such positions are far from holding a majority within the Left Party, it was surprising they were openly expressed at all. On Saturday, the party conference 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 accountable to our class and the people, and we have no responsibility towards a system we reject," said one of the proposers. Behind this is 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 be reflected in these views—a sentiment that likely only a minority supports. But it exists, and it's clear.
Success Has a Question Mark Over It
In response to the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, party leader Ines Schwerdtner delivered the counter-argument. "Dear comrade, I agree with everything you've said in content." She argued formally: The main motion had already decided that such a case should not happen again. Schwerdtner begged 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 the long-standing disputes were overshadowed, one might even say: hidden. There was reliable applause for the familiar slogans. This will likely work for a while, especially since the many new members probably won't be interested in clarifying the old disputes yet—the party has doubled its membership to over 112,000 in just 1.5 years, marking its comeback. But will the dissent last? There's a question mark over the success of the Left Party.
Enrichment Data:The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) debate within the Left Party in Germany primarily involves disagreements on the appropriate definition and handling of antisemitism, with some parties preferring the JDA for upholding free speech in discussions about Israel and Palestine, while others favor the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) for its broader coverage. Additionally, there are concerns about political exploitation of antisemitism definitions in Germany and their potential impact on debates around Israel and Palestine.
- The Left Party's stance on antisemitism remains contentious, as evidenced by the passing of a motion aligning the Left with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which party chief Jan van Aken opposes.
- The debate about the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism is not just about definitions but also about the ability to cooperate and absolve individuals and groups from charges of antisemitism.
- The relationship with Israel and the dispute over the antisemitism definition are ongoing points of contention within the Left Party, alongside issues such as defense policy, the relationship with Russia, and the rejection of government participation under capitalism.
- The Left Party has experienced a surge in membership, doubling its membership to over 112,000 in just 1.5 years, marking its comeback. However, the extent to which old disputes will continue to surface and impact the party's success is uncertain.
