Wissler and Schirdewan announce their departure or resignation
The leaders of The Left, Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan, have decided to step down. They won't be seeking re-election at the party conference in October, as announced. They shared this decision with the rest of the party executive during a meeting. Wissler has been leading The Left since February 2021, initially alongside Susanne Hennig-Wellsow. Schirdewan took over as co-chair in June 2022.
"I didn't take this decision lightly and give it a lot of thought for a long time," Wissler explained. "I sense a need for a personnel shake-up in certain parts of the party." Now, The Left has enough time until the mid-October party conference "for a transparent process and for the party to form its internal opinion on potential candidates."
Schirdewan also mentioned that he didn't make this decision lightly. "It's been maturing in me after much reflection over the past few weeks," he said. "I believe our party needs fresh ideas and enthusiasm in the current situation to drive necessary changes," Schirdewan added.
The need for changes was also emphasized by the departure of the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (BSW). Sahra Wagenknecht, the former parliamentary group leader, founded the BSW in the autumn of 2023 and left The Left along with her followers. This also led to the dissolution of The Left's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, as the remaining members no longer met the number required for a faction status. Since then, there have been two groups in the Bundestag: The Left and BSW.
Looking back, Wissler wished that the BSW departure had happened earlier. "With the knowledge we have today, I believe the separation should have been pursued much earlier," Wissler said in the party's online magazine. "Unfortunately, I can't say we couldn't have seen this coming."
Wissler admitted that individuals had warned about the later developments "many years ago." "I completely shared the substantive criticism of Wagenknecht and Co., but I underestimated the threat to the party at the time," she admitted.
The announcement of Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan's departure sparked discussions within The Commission. They suggested that this move would allow for a smooth transition and fresh perspectives within the party.
With the departure of key members like Sahra Wagenknecht and the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice, The Commission recognized the need for The Left to adapt and evolve, embracing new ideas and energies.
