Meeting in Saxony: Left feels strong again – and wants influence

After its success in the Bundestag election, Die Linke wants to have a politically coordinated manner out of the opposition. Party leader Ines Schwerdtner offered CDU and CSU discussions about decisions, for which a two -thirds majority is necessary in parliament, for example in the election of judges. But the party expects concessions and conversations “at eye level”.

The left must “be taken seriously as a partner,” said Schwerdtner on the first day of a federal party congress in Chemnitz. “We also have to be able to say to our voters: What did we achieve when we vote? We won’t just vote to make Friedrich Merz easier,” said Schwerdtner.

This week, the Union, which actually excludes cooperation with the left, was approaching the party for the first time in the Bundestag. Ultimately, the left helped to quickly enable a second round of CDU boss Friedrich Merz to choose the chancellor. At the party congress there was also criticism for Merz, but only isolated.

The 500 delegates will discuss the line for the next few months by Saturday. Die Linke still had very weak survey values ​​in autumn 2024, but then reached 8.8 percent of the vote on election day in February. At the same time, she doubled its number of members within a few months and now counts around 112,000 people.

“Die Linke is back,” called the Bundestag faction leader Heidi Reichinnek in a celebrated speech at the party congress. “It is a damn good feeling of finally winning again.” Reichinnek was the goal of achieving the best results in the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Hesse and Lower Saxony. In the state elections in 2026 in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg, people want to go to parliament, in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to “return to old strength”.

In Berlin, the left has become the strongest force in the Bundestag election. “Why shouldn’t that work again in the election to the House of Representatives?” Asked Reichinnek. “The first left -wing mayor of Berlin is a goal.”

How the left wants to build on it

From the point of view of the party leadership, however, the many new members must be integrated. The guideline adopted in Chemnitz means: “We are hope”, the motto over the stage was “organizing hope”.

Party leader Schwerdtner said that the new members should also be trained in the basics of democratic socialism. “We say we are an organizing class party. That means our members should have an idea of ​​it, what does that mean?”

Party wants to overcome capitalism

Schwerdtner, Reichinnek and also the former Thuringian Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow confessed to the goal of ultimately overcoming capitalism. That is not a phrase, said Schwerdtner. “This is the embers of our politics.”

Reichinnek said: “Yes, we want to abolish an economic system in which the rich are richer and the poor are getting poorer.” This system has nothing to do with democracy. “And if it is radical to demand that all people get what they need to live if it is radically demanding that rights and freedoms apply to everyone and nobody is marginalized or hostile, yes, then we are radical,” said the parliamentary group leader.

Focus on rents, prices, taxes for rich

In the lead application, it is required to focus strongly as a party on topics such as living, prices and taxes for rich. The goal is “a party that is practically needed and specifically helps”. A new program is to be developed by 2027. The left feels responsible for “all those who are forced to sell their workforce in order to make a living – that is, the oversized majority in our society,” the application says.

The aim was to be deleted by amendment to grow to 150,000 members within four years. A majority, on the other hand, found the mandate time limit: MPs should leave the Bundestag after three legislative periods. In addition, mandate holders should donate part of their diets to their party’s social funds.

According to Schwerdtner’s words, the left -wing participation in the federal government does not strive for the time being. The party’s strategic goal, however, is declared majorities on the left of Union and AfD.

The new Chancellor Merz is keen to focus in the lead application: “In Germany, Merz embodies the change from neoliberal transatlantic to the authoritarian right -wing populist. It is to be expected that a federal government, led by Merz, will make little effort to solve real problems, but will also take steps to an authoritarian economy.”