High-Stakes Showdown: The Left Party's Solid Stand challenged at the Last Minute
The Progressive Side Appears Overly Influential and Assertive
By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz
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The Left Party's congress in Chemnitz was set to be a smooth event, but ages-old conflicts kept bubbling to the surface: antisemitism, Israel, armaments, and Russia. Even ruling isn't guaranteed for every leftist.
In the closing moments of the congress, the party leadership suffered a clear loss. A motion opposed by party head Jan van Aken himself still managed to pass by a narrow margin: 213 delegates voted for a resolution aligning the Left Party with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism—a surprising turn of events, even if it didn't seem momentous amid the congress's chaotic atmosphere.
Thuringia state parliamentarian Katharina König of the Left Party expressed her dissatisfaction on Bluesky, stating that the majority had decided "the Left Party no longer stands #againstEveryAntisemitism."
The Controversial Yet Passed Resolution
The Jerusalem Declaration is debatable, and it's no surprise that van Aken disagreed with the motion. Some see this declaration as trivializing antisemitism, while the proposers deny these claims. They argue that their motion was inexplicably directed to committees—yet another time.
Jan van Aken maintains that the Left Party struck a fair compromise at the previous year's congress in Halle. That resolution aimed to establish positioning for the Middle East conflict. The proposers find this insufficient. They desire clarity to defend the Left Party against false, defamatory accusations, one of them explains.
Van Aken offers a brief rebuttal, but there's no real discussion due to time constraints. "I'm not a fan of ending intellectual debates through party congress resolutions," he comments, not delving deeper. Earlier in the day, the congress remembered the late Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer.
Van Aken Stands Alone, With Only 183 Following
Left Party MEP Özel Demirel-Böhlke fiercely opposes van Aken, who argues that there are only two competing definitions: the Jerusalem Declaration and that of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Demirel-Böhlke contends that based on IHRA, any criticism of the Israeli government can be deemed antisemitic. This viewpoint is controversial, but she attracts strong applause. In the digital vote, 183 delegates side with van Aken—not enough. 40 abstain. Many delegates have already left the congress at this point.
A Matter of Definitions or Collaboration?
The debate underscores an ongoing discussion that pervaded the entire congress. Several delegates at Chemnitz don the kuffiyeh to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, according to their statements.
Not only Katharina König, but other leftists, are also taken aback on Bluesky. It's not just about definitions, writes former MP Martina Renner, but about being able to exonerate individuals and groups from the charge of antisemitism to continue cooperating. Indeed, the Jerusalem Declaration does not suggest that denying Israel's right to exist is antisemitic.
The debate surrounding Israel and the Middle East conflict has been a continuous struggle within the party, and it seems to be progressively leaning against Israel. Several prominent members have already left the Left party over this issue, including former Berlin culture senator Klaus Lederer. He may not find much reason 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 distinguishable. 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."
Majority Approves Compromise Paper on the Middle East
Up until the congress in Chemnitz, the party leadership had already negotiated a Middle East resolution meant to diffuse tensions. It only references the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, without explicitly making the accusation itself. The resolution received strong support with the blessing of the party leadership.
Enduring Points of Contention
The relationship with Israel and the ongoing debate over the antisemitism definition were only two instances of the left's longstanding disagreements that surfaced in Chemnitz. The congress was supposed to be a meeting of harmony, and for the most part, it was. Delegates celebrated their return to the federal election and assured each other that the winning streak would continue in the following year.
"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 party has never been in parliament in both federal states, and the party leadership hopes that will change. Elections are also upcoming in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the coming year.
"A System We Reject"
But the Left party seems to be doing too well to avoid conflicts. Other points of contention involve the relationship with power, defense policy, and, connected to that, the relationship with Russia. A delegate from Hesse stated in the evening debate that she sees "a chronic clinging to beliefs that are increasingly detached from reality" in parts of the party, especially concerning matters of war and peace. "The repeated call for rearmament is ignored, despite the real cause, namely the Russian invasion of Ukraine."
The Price of Success
While such standpoints are far from being in the majority within the Left Party, it was surprising to hear them expressed openly. The party conference on Saturday unanimously rejected the reintroduction of conscription and other compulsory services.
A motion demanding the resignation of the Left Party ministers and senators in the state governments of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern received loud applause. "We are accountable to our class and the people, and we have no responsibility towards a system we reject," declared one of the proposers. Behind this stance is the rejection of "war credits," and several speakers drew a parallel to 1914. However, the general rejection of government participation "under the conditions of capitalism" also appears to be at play—a belief that likely only a minority supports. But it persists, and its voice can be heard.
In Response to the Motion, a Counter-Argument
In response to the motion against the state associations of Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, party leader Ines Schwerdtner delivered an explains why the motion should not be pursued due to formal reasons: the main motion had already decided that such circumstances should not occur 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 ongoing conflicts were sidelined, or, to put it another way, swept under the rug. There was enthusiastic applause for the familiar slogans. This may hold for a while, especially since the new members likely aren't interested in resolving the old disputes—the party has more than doubled its membership to over 112,000 in just a year and a half, marking a comeback. But will dissent persist? There's a question mark hanging over the Left Party's success.
Source: ntv.de
- The Left Party
- Chemnitz
- Party Congress
- Jan van Aken
- Middle East Conflict
- Antisemitism
- Israel
- Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism
- Anti-Semitism
- Anti-Capitalism
- Russian Invasion of Ukraine
- Conscription
- War Credits
- 1914
- The Left Party's congress in Chemnitz saw intense debates, with employment policy not being the only contentious issue; antisemitism, Israel, armaments, and Russia also stirred conflicts.
- In the final moments of the congress, a motion opposed by party head Jan van Aken himself was passed, aligning the Left Party with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism—a move that some delegates, such as Katharina König, felt undermined the party's stance against antisemitism.
- The Jerusalem Declaration is a divisive document, with some considering it to trivialize antisemitism, while proponents argue that it is intended to clarify the party's position and counter defamatory accusations.
- Beyond the Jerusalem Declaration, the Left Party continues to grapple with various political issues, including defense policy, the relationship with Russia, and the rejection of compulsory services like conscription—policies that some party members argue are out of touch with reality, echoing the sentiments of the past as in 1914.
