Heidi Reichinnek, the parliamentary group chairwoman for Die Linke, has dismissed accusations that her party has a problem with antisemitism. She told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, “Solidarity with Palestine is not antisemitism” adding that while there is an overall problem with antisemitism in society, it would be an overstatement to claim that their party is exempt. Reichinnek acknowledged that antisemitism exists within Die Linke but rejected the notion that the problem is uniquely pronounced there.
She made it clear that the party’s red lines are absolute: the right to existence of Israel is non-negotiable, and they will not tolerate antisemitism in any form, a stance the party leadership consistently affirms. Nevertheless, she stressed that even on such difficult issues, open discussion is necessary within the party, as a strictly black-and-white view is unworkable.
During the party’s federal conference in Halle, Reichinnek reported that they passed a definitive resolution stating: “We stand with the people in Israel and Palestine who are committed to a self-determining life in peace and freedom and a two-state solution. We condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization that must be disarmed, yet we simultaneously state that the Israeli government is committing war crimes in Gaza. The Palestinian struggle for freedom and the fight against antisemitism are two sides of the same coin”. She concluded by mentioning that the party executive board plans to submit a motion on the Middle East at the next federal conference in June, which she is confident will pass by a large majority.
Regarding the AfD, Reichinnek feels that there is growing willingness among members of the CDU/CSU to “try out the AfD”. She challenged the Christian Democratic Union to answer a critical question about its stance on democracy. Many voters, she noted, are gravitating towards the AfD because they are “deeply disappointed with established politics” including Die Linke.
Reichinnek firmly believes that not all voters of the AfD are far-right, wish to abolish democracy, or hold racist views. Instead, she suggests they are desperate because everything is becoming more expensive, but wages or pensions are not rising, and politics has failed to improve the situation. Therefore, they vote for the AfD because it positions itself as a protest party. However, she pointed out that the AfD itself belongs to the establishment it claims to challenge, citing instances of large donations from wealthy individuals and the establishment of quasi-clan structures for hiring family members, asserting that the party’s members are only interested in enriching themselves.
Concerning the withdrawal from the party leadership by Jan van Aken, Reichinnek expressed relief that Luigi Pantisano, his predecessor, is ready to run as his successor. She praised his collaboration over the past year, noting that his fight for wages and good working conditions-from the front door to the workplace-is a positive combination in her view. She expressed full confidence that he will succeed if the party offers him its support.