Party conference: Left leader rejects allegations of anti-Semitism

Hagen. The federal chairwoman of the Left, Ines Schwerdtner, has sharply rejected allegations of anti-Semitism against her party. "They are attacking us because we stand up for international law and for the people in Palestine. Because we call the genocide in Gaza what it is: a genocide," said Schwerdtner at the state representative meeting of the North Rhine-Westphalian Left in Hagen. But criticizing the Israeli government is not anti-Semitism.

The accusation of anti-Semitism is only an excuse. “It is disgusting that they exploit anti-Semitism to denigrate us in political business,” criticized the Left leader.

Ultimately, the sharp attacks from political opponents are about something different, argued Schwerdtner. “They are running this smear campaign because we are messing with the rich and powerful, because we are messing with the real estate companies who make stupid and stupid money from our apartments, because we are messing with politicians who sleep in bed with them,” she shouted to the delegates at the election party conference.

The Left's election success in Berlin shows what is possible for the party - also in other federal states. “What worked in Berlin is not a special path,” she shouted. In the election for the Berlin House of Representatives a month ago, the Left was by far the strongest force. "Imagine what can happen if working people, poor people and migrant people in North Rhine-Westphalia finally stand up. What can we do?"

According to current surveys, the Left in North Rhine-Westphalia has a good chance of returning to the state parliament for the first time in 15 years in the state elections on April 25, 2027. An Insa survey published on Friday currently sees the party at ten percent.