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Germany’s far-left Left party said on Sunday it would replace its two leaders later this year to overcome an “existential” crisis it faces after a series of setbacks.
Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan announced in a statement that they will not run again for the position of co-leader at the Left Party Congress in October.
“I realize that some in the party want a fresh start in terms of personnel,” Wiesler said.
Their decision to resign comes after the Left Party, which has its roots in East German communism and the West German labour movement, fell below 3% in June’s European Parliament elections.
The Left Party narrowly won Germany’s parliament in the 2021 election, but has long been mired in infighting.
However, the party suffered a severe blow when popular lawmaker Sahra Wagenknecht defected last year and took nine Left Party lawmakers with her to form a new left-wing populist party.
The Socialist Democratic Union (BSW) outperformed the Left Party in European elections, while surveys show the Left Party will lag behind the upstart in local elections in three eastern German states next month.
The Left Party’s executive committee is aware of the unrest and on Saturday passed a motion ahead of its October congress stating that the party is “undoubtedly in a dangerous situation which poses a threat to its survival”.
Hildewan said on Sunday the party “needs new perspectives and enthusiasm” to drive “necessary renewal.”
Wiesler has been co-leader of the Left Party since 2021, with Hildewan joining her a year later.
Radical politician Wagenknecht quit the Left Party after a row with senior members over its tough stance on immigration and wants Germany to stop supplying arms to Ukraine.
Analysts say the German Socialist Party, which describes itself as left-wing and conservative, is not only targeting far-left supporters, but is also trying to use anti-immigrant, anti-establishment rhetoric to attract protest voters away from the far-right Alternative for Germany party.
Read more by Euractiv
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