- Left Party gaining momentum ahead of German elections
- It comes after a tough few months for the party and some major setbacks in 2024
- New leadership duo Jan van Aken and Ines Schwerdtner praised for breathing new life into party
Left Party gains momentum ahead of German parliamentary elections
A newfound “spirit of optimism” echoed throughout speeches at the Left Party’s (Die Linke) convention in Berlin on Saturday, signalling a potential turnaround for Die Linke as Germany’s February 23 parliamentary elections approach.
Just months ago, the party seemed to face insurmountable challenges. In January, former parliamentary leader Sahra Wagenknecht launched her own splinter party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). The Left Party suffered major setbacks in 2024, including a drastic reduction in its EU representation to just 2.7% and the loss of key strongholds in eastern Germany during state elections. The party failed to retain its state premiership in Thuringia, barely secured a presence in Saxony’s parliament, and was entirely ousted from Brandenburg’s legislature.
Despite the setbacks, recent polling shows a resurgence of support, with the Left Party edging closer to the critical 5% threshold needed to secure representation in the Bundestag. This resurgence comes as BSW’s initial momentum begins to wane.
A significant factor in the party’s renewed confidence is its new leadership duo, Jan van Aken and Ines Schwerdtner. Elected in October, they have been credited with revitalising the party after years of declining support under Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan.
The early elections were triggered in November when Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s governing coalition collapsed following a vote of no confidence. Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party could no longer maintain a majority in the Bundestag without the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP), who had withdrawn from the coalition.