German Social Democratic Party’s Left Faction Announces Tough Opposition Stance
The German Left Party, or Die Linke, has announced a hardline opposition stance following its unexpectedly strong performance in the recent federal election. At a press conference on Monday, the party’s leader, Jan van Aken, declared, “Friedrich Merz can now warm up” implying that the opposition will be relentless. Van Aken emphasized that the party is well-equipped to engage in opposition, stating, “We will dig in, we will dig deeper and we will uncover scandals.” The party will also focus on controlling the government and combating any attacks on the social welfare state, both in parliament and on the streets, according to van Aken.
Co-leader Ines Schwerdtner expressed satisfaction with the party’s campaign, citing the winning over of non-voters and voters from the Green Party and the Social Democratic Party, or SPD. “290,000 former non-voters gave us their vote and I think we should build on that” Schwerdtner said.