Overview
- Die Linke elected Ines Schwerdtner and Luigi Pantisano as co‑chairs at its Potsdam congress, with Schwerdtner winning about 86 percent and Pantisano receiving just over 53 percent, a result seen inside the party as a sign of internal division.
- Pantisano told Bild that there was 'no difference' between parts of the CDU and the AfD, drew sharp condemnation from CDU figures including Daniel Günther, and subsequently issued a written apology saying his wording was 'verkürzt' and wrong.
- The party congress adopted a Gaza resolution that for the first time uses the German term 'Völkermord' to describe Israel's actions in Gaza while also reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and condemning antisemitism.
- Delegates approved motions to systematically mobilise protests against social cuts and higher defence spending, a strategy the new leadership says it will pursue in the coming weeks.
- Reports of antisemitic messages in the Linksjugend chat groups emerged after the congress, prompting the federal leadership to say it will investigate and consider consequences as Die Linke faces reputational and electoral risks ahead of autumn state ballots.