- In the opinion of Van Aken, the left can be revived.
Jan van Aken anticipates a clear field of competitors in the race for the upcoming federal chairmanship of the Left Party. The probability of additional candidates joining him and publicist Ines Schwerdtner in their bid to succeed outgoing chairpersons Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan is estimated to be around 40 to 60%, according to the former Hamburg MP, speaking to the German Press Agency.
Confidently, the 63-year-old van Aken assured that he could prevent the Left Party from becoming insignificant and prevent its burial due to poor election results and poll numbers. "I don't see myself as the undertaker of the party. If I thought the party was beyond saving, I wouldn't be doing this."
The Left Party only managed 2.7% of the votes in the European election recently. Currently, it polls at three percent at the federal level. In 2021, it barely made it into the Bundestag with 4.9% thanks to direct mandates.
Van Aken predicts the Left Party will achieve seven to eight percent in the Bundestag election. "I am deeply convinced that we will be in a very strong position next year. It's not just about getting in, but about getting in well and rising again. All the prerequisites for this are in place."
His optimism stems from conversations he had last month during a book tour across Germany. "There's so much energy at the base of the party, it's astounding. There's still a lot of life left. Now we just have to get a few things right, and it will work."
The split of Sahra Wagenknecht's group has been beneficial for the party. "What has hurt the Left Party in recent years, this image of infighting, that's over now." The main challenge now is rebuilding trust lost through the conflict.
Wissler and Schirdewan, who announced they would not run for federal chairmanship again at the party conference in October, have "run the show" capably during turbulent times. "And that's why it's not a mess. The base is alive. And the state associations are also functioning," he said.
To reconnect with voters, the party needs to focus on central themes. "From Greenpeace, I've learned that you can only win if you concentrate on one point," said van Aken, who was active in the environmental organization against genetic engineering in the late 1990s and later served as a UN biological weapons inspector. "The Left can do that. That's how it got the minimum wage through back then. We have to figure out what moves people the most – that's social issues, especially for people who can barely make ends meet at the end of the month."
A rent cap could be such an option. "I want to push through this rent cap. If we do it well, just like with the minimum wage, we'll win, because the other parties won't be able to get around it. That's what it's about: Representing a topic in such a way that we win, that the situation of the people improves."
As another possible topic, he suggested healthcare. "That's why it's a good idea for the party to now have door-to-door conversations with the people who are supposed to vote for us across the country and find out what moves them the most," said the 63-year-old.
Van Aken: Putin must be held accountable as a criminal
While the topic of peace resonates with many, Aken currently does not see it as the central point for the party's reorganization. "When I say we're making it a central theme, it doesn't mean we're ignoring everything else."
Peace, he believes, is about stance. "I'm sort of the party's chief peace dove, and I think it's important to say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is an aggressor and a criminal who must be held accountable." The Left is clear on this, he says. "There were some people who missed the mark, but luckily they're gone."
More challenging is the question of whether there's a diplomatic, not military, solution for Ukraine. "It's not enough to just call for peace and then hide and see what happens to Ukraine. That's not a stance, it's irresponsible," he said. "My pacifism is peaceful, but not helpless." For him, it's clear: "Those against arms deliveries aren't Putin's puppets, and those for them aren't warmongers." The key is finding a diplomatic solution in the conflict.
A joint candidacy with Schwerdtner feels appropriate
Ines Schwerdtner and he decided to run for federal chair independently of each other. "We'll see if there are other candidates. If not, we'll be a team soon," said van Aken. They've only met once so far, but they've talked on the phone and discussed content. "It felt good. I think we can work well together."
Van Aken suggested focusing on central themes to reconnect with voters, mentioning the minimum wage as an example of a successful campaign. He also proposed a rent cap and healthcare as potential topics that could resonate with voters.
Leaving the topic of peace for now, Van Aken stated that while he is a peace advocate, calling for peace without a clear stance is irresponsible. He believes in holding Putin accountable as a criminal for his aggression in Ukraine.
