Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken are vying for the position of leader within the Left party.
The leading figures of the Left Party, Wissler and Schirdewan, are stepping down due to their inability to reverse the party's downward trend during their term. Now, two fresh candidates are stepping into the fray, aiming to steer the party out of its crisis.
Jan van Aken, a former German Bundestag member, has declared his bid for the party chairmanship. He plans to contest at the party congress in October, as he announced on Twitter. His campaign message was clear: "We need a robust left-leaning force to defend the people's interests against social apathy, the drift towards the right, and war." He exuded a palpable optimism, believing that this "spirit" would be contagious. The 63-year-old highlighted his experience as a genetic engineering expert with Greenpeace and a biological weapons inspector with the United Nations. "Greenpeace taught me the art of advocacy, and the United Nations taught me diplomacy," van Aken stated.
Ines Schwerdtner, a publicist, also declared her intention to become the federal chairperson of the Left Party. She made her announcement on her website, stating, "I have decided to run for the chairmanship of our party at the upcoming congress in Halle." Despite finishing fifth in the Left Party's list for the European elections, she failed to secure a seat in the parliament.
Departure of Wissler and Schirdewan
Schwerdtner works as a freelance journalist and publicist. She is involved in initiatives like "Deutsche Wohnen & Co. expropriate" and a campaign against escalating prices. The Left Party's Saxony-Anhalt state association confirmed that Schwerdtner is currently a part of the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district association.
She advocates for the establishment of a new political culture within the party, emphasizing trust between members and focusing on common political objectives.
Wissler and Schirdewan announced their departure over the weekend. Their goal is to facilitate a reboot of the party, both in personnel and ideology, following the secession of the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (ASJ). As per current polls, ASJ is unlikely to regain a seat in the Bundestag.
After announcing their departure due to the party's struggles, Wissler and Schirdewan aim to foster a fresh start for the Left Party, including a renewal of both personnel and ideology. At the upcoming Party Congress in Halle, Ines Schwerdtner, a publicist and advocate for political change within the party, intends to present her candidacy for the party chairmanship, following in the footsteps of departing figures from the Party Congress.
