Overview
- Jan van Aken said he will not run again for Die Linke co-chair in June because a stress-worsened illness limits his capacity.
- He described the months after the coalition breakup as the most stressful of his life as the party scrambled to mount a federal campaign.
- The strain followed a rapid rebuild that lifted Die Linke to 8.8% in the 2025 election and drew tens of thousands of new members.
- He will keep his Bundestag seat and continue to advise the party on foreign policy.
- Delegates will choose new leadership at the June federal party congress in Potsdam, with Bundestag member Luigi Pantisano already in the race after van Aken named him as a possible successor.