Unfiltered Insights: The Left's Last-Minute Drama Unleashed
The Political Spectrum's Left Wing Overplaying Their Hand, Users Argue
By Ol' Mate, Chemnitz City
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The Left Party's summit in Chemnitz was meant to be harmonious, but old disputes resurfaced, causing a stir: antisemitism, Israel, armament, and Russia. Even the art of governance isn't a no-brainer for all the leftists.
In the dust of the Left's conference, the party hierarchy suffers a clear defeat. A motion, against which party leader Jan van Aken took a firm stand, still scrapes together a narrow majority: 213 delegates vote for a resolution placing the Left Party officially behind the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, much to the chagrin of van Aken himself.
This seemingly unimportant resolution turns out to be a scandalous move for the conference, even though it may not look that way amidst the audience's excitement. "A lethal resolution," comments Katharina König, a leftist representative from Thuringia, on Bluesky. With this, the majority has chosen, "that the Left no longer adheres to #zeroantisemitism."
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The Jerusalem Declaration is questionable, and justifiably so, van Aken opposed the motion. Experts claim this declaration minimizes antisemitism. The applicants, however, remain agitated that their motion had been planned for private consultation – for the second time.
Only 183 Delegates Support Van Aken
Van Aken propounds that the Left Party found a workable solution at the Left Party conference in Halle last year. This resolution concerned the stance in the Middle East conflict. That's not sufficient for the applicants. One of them contends, "We need to provide clarity to refute dishonorable accusations against the Left."
Jan van Aken swiftly counters their argument, but there's no meaningful discussion, as time is short. "I object to concluding a scholarly debate through a party conference resolution; we can't do that." He declines to delve deeper into the discussion.
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Özel Demirel-Böhlke, the Left Party's member in the European Parliament, vehemently disagrees with van Aken, declaring there is no such scholarly debate; only competing definitions: the Jerusalem Declaration and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Demirel-Böhlke argues that, based on the IHRA, any scrutiny of the Israeli government can be smeared as antisemitic. This is Controversial, she receives loud applause. In the digital vote, 183 delegates follow van Aken's plea - not enough. 40 abstain. Several delegates have left by this point.
It's About Definitions or Cooperation?
The debate reveals an underlying discussion that prevailed throughout the conference. Several delegates show up in a kufiya, claiming solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Not only Katharina Köönig, but other leftists also express their concerns on Bluesky. It's not about definitions, Martina Renner, a former MP writes, but about being able to exonerate individuals and groups from charges of antisemitism, to maintain cooperation. Indeed, the Jerusalem Declaration does not label denying Israel's right to exist as antisemitic.
The dispute over how to address Israel and the Middle East conflict has been ongoing within the party for a long time, with the opposition leaning increasingly against Israel. Several prominent members have already left the party over this issue, including former Senator for Culture, Klaus Lederer. He might not find much reason to return: On Tuesday, Left Party regional board member Ulrike Eifler posted a controversial map of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank on X, where Israel's borders were not discernible. Two days later, the party hierarchy separated itself from "any call, statement, or visual representation that, under the guise of solidarity with the Palestinian population, negates the existence of Israel or advocates for its elimination." (More on this here.)
Majority for Compromise Paper on Middle East
The party leadership had already brokered a Middle East resolution intended to alleviate tension at the conference. It only cites the allegation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, without explicitly making the accusation itself.
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"The Israeli government and its accomplices must be held accountable," says delegate Hana Qetinaj from Frankfurt am Main, one of the applicants, in this debate. The Left Party has lost credibility on this matter, she alleges. "A false relativization during a genocide does not do justice to what's happening there." The paper receives a clear majority with the blessing of the party leadership.
The same old bones of contention
The relationship with Israel, the antisemitism definition, and the Middle East conflict are only some of the disputes that flared up in Chemnitz. The summit was meant to be a party summit of harmony, and mostly it was. Delegates celebrated their comeback in the federal election and assured each other that the success streak would continue in the next year's elections.
"Berlin's first left mayor, that's the goal," faction leader Heidi Reichinnek declares in her speech on Friday. She lists all the upcoming elections: in September, local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, in March 2026, state elections in Baden-Württemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate. The Left party leadership hopes that the party will enter parliament in both federal states for the first time. Elections are also scheduled in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the coming year.
"A system that we reject"
But the Left may be succeeding too well to avoid collisions. The other points of contention involve the relationship with power, defense policy, and - connected to that - the relationship with Russia. A delegate from Hesse says in the late-night debate that he sees "an unwavering adherence to beliefs that grow increasingly detached from reality" in parts of the party, especially when it comes to questions of war and peace. "Repeated calls for rearmament are ignored, despite the real cause of it being the Russian invasion of Ukraine."
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A resolution calling for the resignation of Left Party ministers and senators in the regional governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern received strong applause. "We are accountable to our class and the people, and we have no responsibility to 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 part of these views - a sentiment that likely only a minority supports. But it is evident and clear.
Success Has a Question Mark Above It
In response to the resolution against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, party leader Ines Schwerdtner delivers the counter-argument. "Dear comrade, I agree with everything you've said in terms of content." She argued formally: The main motion had already decided that such a scenario should not happen again. Schwerdtner urged the conference not to "set a new precedent." The resolution was defeated by 219 to 192 votes with 39 abstentions.
In the end, all the long-standing disputes were overshadowed, one could say, they were even covered up. There was reliable applause for the familiar slogans. This will likely work for some time, especially since many new members are unfamiliar with the old arguments at this point. But in the long run? There is a doubt hanging over the success of the Left Party.
- The resolution supporting the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism was controversial, as party leader Jan van Aken opposes it and experts argue it minimizes antisemitism.
- Delegates voted on a Middle East resolution intended to alleviate tension at the conference, only citing the allegation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
- Some delegates at the conference expressed controversial positions, such as a delegate from Hesse who called for repeated calls for rearmament to be ignored, despite the real cause being the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- The Left Party's success in elections is uncertain, as the party may be succeeding too well to avoid internal collisions over issues such as defense policy, the relationship with Russia, and government participation under capitalism.
