In a prelude to the SPD’s party convention, the leader of the Left Party, Jan van Aken, expressed concern over the current state of the Social Democrats. According to the Rheinische Post, van Aken stated, “I am worried about the weakness of the Social Democrats, because in the end, it’s about organizing other majorities.” He emphasized that even if the Left Party were to achieve 25% of the vote, it would still not be enough to bring about a political shift, as long as the SPD is present.
Van Aken made it clear that he is not rejoicing in the decline of social democracy and instead, the Left Party is prepared to become the new strong force on the left of the CDU. The party leader expressed his goal, saying, “We have the potential to become a left people’s party – and that is also our goal.” Recent polling by Forsa shows the SPD at 14%, while the Left Party is at 11%.