The Left Party experienced a disaster in the European elections. Now federal chairman Martin Schirdewan says: It “went badly” and “it can’t go on like this”.
After the crushing defeat in the European elections, Left Party leader Martin Schirdewan has left it open whether he wants to remain in office. “I will let you know in good time whether I will run again,” Schirdewan told the “Tagesspiegel”.
The federal executive committee of the Left Party will be re-elected at the party conference in October. Schirdewan has led the party together with Janine Wissler for two years. In the European elections, the Left Party received only 2.7 percent of the vote, about half as much as five years ago. Schirdewan was himself the top candidate.
Now he said: “No question: It went badly. There’s no getting around it.” Most recently, Bundestag member Gesine Lötzsch criticized the party leadership, as did social medicine specialist Gerhard Trabert, who wanted to be elected to the European Parliament for the Left Party. Because of the party’s small share of the vote, he was not given a mandate.
“It cannot continue as before”
Schirdewan said that the Left Party first wanted to carry out an internal evaluation. “But it is clear that consequences must be drawn. Things cannot continue as they are.” The party leader had already said on election night on June 9 that the party would carry out structural and programmatic work before the 2025 federal election and “also prepare itself for the future in terms of personnel.”
The declared aim is to return to the Bundestag with a strong parliamentary group. However, in surveys the party is well below five percent.
Source: Stern
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