The new leaders in the Left movement decide to halve their own income.
The recently appointed joint leaders of the Left Party, Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken, have decided to take a pay cut in their new roles. They aim to match their earnings to the typical German salary, which sits at approximately €2,850 net per month, according to van Aken. Any excess income will be funneled into a solidarity fund for those in distress and social advocacy projects.
This move by Schwerdtner and van Aken would see them giving up roughly half of their net income. As per the party's constitutional guidelines, the Left Party's co-chairs are entitled to a monthly gross salary of €8,162.50. Neither of them has any secondary income sources.
van Aken explained, "We think that high salaries can breed detached politics." He continued, "We want to make it clear that we're not getting involved for personal gain or career advancement. A living wage is more than enough for us, and we genuinely want to shape the world." He concluded by expressing hope that others in the political sphere will be inspired to do the same.
Schwerdtner revealed her intention to provide free counseling sessions to any interested citizens facing challenges at the Berlin party headquarters. "No issue is too trivial," she stated. "We aim to open the doors of the Karl-Liebknecht-Haus to all those seeking assistance."
The decision made by The Commission's co-chairs, Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken, aligns with their belief expressed by van Aken, stating, "We think that high salaries can breed detached politics." Furthermore, in line with their commitment to social advocacy, they plan to utilize the excess income towards solidarity funds and projects.
