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Group chairmen Amira Mohamed Ali and Dietmar Bartsch
Photograph:
Michael Kappeler / dpa
Several state chairmen of the Left Party are calling internally for a new start in the Bundestag parliamentary group. The state leaders had traveled to Berlin on Tuesday to take part in a parliamentary group meeting and to exchange views on the delicate situation of the party. The background is mainly the controversy over Sahra Wagenknecht, who is considering founding a new party in the fall.
As those present at the meeting reported to SPIEGEL, it is said to have been a constructive exchange overall. For example, the electoral reform of the federal government had been discussed and the possible legal action against it had been discussed.
After all, it was about the poor state of the party. The different wings have expressed that they are seriously concerned about the state of the left. There was criticism of the parliamentary group leadership from several state chairmen, such as the handling of Wagenknecht and her controversial speech in the Bundestag on Russia. "The biggest problem is your grandiose idea of unleashing an unprecedented economic war against our most important energy supplier," she accused the government in the Bundestag. Several left-wing functionaries distanced themselves from it afterwards.
According to participants, there was also criticism in the parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday that the parliamentary group leadership did not clearly support the party executive committee's decision against Wagenknecht. "The future of the Left is a future without Sahra Wagenknecht," said the unanimous resolution a few weeks ago. The reason for this was the concrete plans of the Wagenknecht camp to found a new party.
While parliamentary group chairman Dietmar Bartsch largely backed the decision, co-chair Amira Mohamed Ali sharply criticized. She described the decision as a "big mistake" that was "unworthy" of a party "that is committed to solidarity and plurality".
Elections in September
As those present at the parliamentary group meeting further report, several state chairmen would then have made it clear that they consider a new start in terms of personnel and content in the quarrelling parliamentary group in the Bundestag to be necessary. This refers above all to Mohamed Ali, who is considered a supporter of Wagenknecht.
However, Bartsch had also angered parts of the party in the past. Recently, it was said, the waves had calmed down somewhat. There was also support for the party's executive committee decision from the Bartsch camp. Opposition to the demand for a change of personnel in the parliamentary group had been made by the state leadership from Saarland. The Wagenknecht camp would also have presented their criticism of the party leadership.
The parliamentary group wants to elect a new executive committee on 4 September. So far, Mohamed Ali and Bartsch have left open whether they will run again as chairmen.
It is also unclear how long the group will continue to exist. If Wagenknecht and her followers were to leave the parliamentary group, the Left Party would lose its parliamentary group status in the Bundestag.
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