The Left still has 28 members in the Bundestag. But there is also discord in the small group. New top staff should unite the parliamentarians.
The Left in the Bundestag is looking for new leadership after the announced withdrawal of its long-time parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch. At a meeting in Berlin this Monday, the 28 Left MPs want to elect their chairmen – probably a dual leadership. Four MPs want to run: Heidi Reichinnek, Sören Pellmann, Clara Bünger and Ates Gürpinar. The MP Christian Görke is applying for the office of the first parliamentary manager.
Apparently it was not possible to determine which team could move to the top. According to a spokesman, the party executive was in discussions with the candidates over the weekend. The group is now asked to “find chairmen who will be supported by the 28 MPs,” it said.
The left has had difficult months. After a wing around MP Sahra Wagenknecht split off, the left-wing faction in the Bundestag dissolved in December. Now there are two separate groups: the ten parliamentarians of the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance – they have already appointed Wagenknecht as chairwoman – and the 28 Bundestag members of the Left.
A generational change is coming
Although the Left group is small, not everyone agrees on the future direction. Reichinnek and Pellmann failed in the race for party leadership in 2022 against current chairmen Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan. Now they are jointly applying for leadership of the group with a theses paper. Your top topics: redistribution, “good work”, peace.
Applicant Bünger told the German Press Agency that it was important to have a common leadership that represented all MPs. She did not rule out the possibility that she or Gürpinar would form a leadership duo with Reichinnek or Pellmann.
In any case, a generational change is imminent: The 65-year-old Bartsch, who initially led the parliamentary group since 2015 and now also the new group on a temporary basis, is not running again. All of the candidates for the presidency are significantly younger, but not all that well known.
Bartsch thanks you
Reichinnek (35) comes from Saxony-Anhalt and entered the Bundestag via the Lower Saxony state list. Bünger (37) was born in Oldenburg, but represents the Saxon regional association. Gürpinar (39), who was born in Hesse, was the head of the Bavarian state for a time and is currently the federal managing director. Pellmann (47) comes from Leipzig and won a direct mandate there in 2021.
Bartsch wrote on Sunday on
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
