Status: 04/21/2022 03:52 a.m
The Left is in shambles. Co-party leader Wissler wants to remain in office for the time being. But she is under a lot of pressure. Meanwhile, the board apologizes to the victims of sexual assault.
After the surprising resignation of co-leader Susanne Hennig-Wellsow, Left Party leader Janine Wissler wants to continue running the party alone for the time being. This was announced by a party spokesman after the crisis deliberations of the federal executive board late in the evening. Wissler complied with a request from the federal executive board in the evening.
The party executive thanked Hennig-Wellsow for her work, as the spokesman explained. On Wednesday, just one year and two months after taking office together, she announced her immediate resignation. She justified her step with unfulfilled expectations in the renewal of the party, how her party dealt with sexism in its own ranks, but also with personal concerns. It was initially unclear whether the party leadership should be re-elected prematurely.
Federal manager Jörg Schindler had tweeted in the afternoon that he wanted to propose that the left elect a new board at its party conference in June. The party wants to clarify this question in the coming days, said the party spokesman late in the evening.
Apologies to Victims of Sexual Assault
In the evening, the federal executive committee of the party discussed Hennig-Wellsow’s resignation, which was unexpected for many, for a long time. The focus of the digital crisis switch, which had already been set before the co-boss resigned, was also dealing with suspected cases of sexual assault within the party. A spokesman for the German Press Agency announced that the party wanted to use external consultants to process the suspected cases that have become known so far.
At the same time, the Federal Executive of the Left apologizes for “sexualized assaults” in the party. The party must be a space in which all members can get involved “without fear of being treated sexistically, insulted or even threatened with violence”, the board said in the evening. He also decided “unanimously” on an action strategy.
The party is currently confronted with sex allegations that affect the Hessian left. The “Spiegel” had reported that there had been sexual assaults for years. The former partner of co-party leader Janine Wissler is said to have been one of the accused.
Allegations also against Wissler
In its almost three-hour digital meeting, the party executive unanimously passed a motion entitled “Solidarity with those affected and consistent action against sexism, border crossings and sexualised violence”. The party executive hopes to be able to offer those affected a safe contact point in the future, it said.
In connection with the suspected cases, party leader Wissler was accused of not having done enough to deal with the suspicions as a former parliamentary group leader in the Hessian state parliament. After Hennig-Wellsow’s resignation and the criticism of dealing with sexism, it initially remained unclear whether Wissler would remain in office. On February 27, 2021, Hennig-Wellsow and Wissler replaced the long-standing leadership duo Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger, who had waived another term as party leaders.