Left Party | "Then we are radical"

The Left Party is back – and they're celebrating this once again at their party conference in Chemnitz this weekend. "We've achieved what almost no one believed possible anymore," said Heidi Reichinnek, co-chair of the federal parliamentary group. Numerous speakers referred to the election success, which has made the party a major political force again. The main question now is: What will the party do with this success and the many new members?

For now, she's toughening her tone. "We want to abolish an economic system in which the rich keep getting richer," while many people lack the bare necessities, said Reichinnek. This has nothing to do with democracy. "If it's radical to demand that everyone get what they need to live, then we are radical," said the parliamentary group leader, who, referring to the new federal government of the CDU/CSU and SPD, spoke of an "unspeakable coalition agreement of ignorance and social coldness."

Co-party leader Ines Schwerdtner sees her party only at the beginning of its journey "toward becoming an organizing class party." Schwerdtner recalled the chancellor election in the Bundestag and the fact that the Left Party, after Merz's failure in the first round, voted for a quick second attempt. The CDU/CSU had previously approached The Left Party for the first time because of the necessary two-thirds majority, "but we won't get anything for free from them," Schwerdtner said. "We will have to fight hard for every improvement." Overcoming capitalism means "overcoming an economic system that enslaves people."

"Our path to becoming an organizing class party has only just begun."

Ines Schwerdtner, Chairwoman of the Left Party

The main motion, entitled "We are the hope," which was passed by a large majority – and which harks back to the phrase "pole of hope" used years ago – criticizes the policies of successive governments that drive social division and thus "open the door to the political right." "All parties are moving to the right – not us," echoes a slogan already used during the election campaign, including in reference to "demands for a tougher and more repressive asylum policy," from the CDU to the Greens. The Left, which currently has 112,000 members (about half that in mid-2024), is to develop into a "powerful socialist member-based party for the 21st century." The draft's goal of reaching 150,000 members within four years has been deleted; instead, the more general statement now states that the party should be made fit for practical political work. Elsewhere, the Left is described as a "modern socialist party for the working class." The aim is to strengthen its ability to conduct political campaigns, including on rent policy.

Even before the party conference, Schwerdtner and Reichinnek had made combative statements. Schwerdtner had said in an interview that they wanted to "no longer speak in veiled terms, but rather of class and democratic socialism." Among other things, they wanted to teach the large number of new members, who have joined primarily since the fall of 2024, "the ABCs of Marxism." Reichinnek had declared that anyone who wanted to prevent wealth from exploding, the welfare state from being further eroded, and democracy from being seriously threatened should not support capitalism, "they must overthrow it."

By 2027, The Left Party aims to "complete a programmatic process." The party's program, adopted in Erfurt in 2011, is to be "anchored in some areas in the present." The party aims to find answers to new questions and conflicts, "beyond the loss of solidarity, isolation, and authoritarianism." The Left Party remains a peace party that "unconditionally supports international law and the protection of those who suffer from the world's wars." The fact that there are differences within the party on this issue, for example on issues such as arms deliveries to Ukraine, Germany's defense capability, and the stance toward EU armed forces, is only hinted at in the main motion's formulation that the party wants to focus on positions "that unite us."