Jan van Aken announced on Wednesday that he will resign as co-chair of The Left party before the party conference in June. He stated that he must step down from his post “for health reasons” adding that he needs to focus heavily on taking care of his health in the coming time. The leader of The Left reassured the public that there is no cause for major concern, clarifying that it is “not a life-threatening illness”. Despite this, he emphasized his need to prioritize his well-being, which is why he is resigning. Van Aken intends to continue fulfilling his mandate in the Bundestag until the end of the current legislative term and wants to remain available to the party “to the extent possible”. Van Aken mentioned that this decision is difficult for him, and he expressed that he will miss the trusting collaboration he shared with co-chair Ines Schwerdtner. Reflecting on the party’s progress, van Aken summarized that the Left is moving in a positive direction, noting, “We have made significant gains in all four elections this year”. He stated that new members keep joining, and the party has successfully promoted issues such as rent caps and a national wealth tax. He added this suggests that other parties are beginning to fall behind, leading him to be confident that The Left will play an increasingly significant role in the country in the coming years.
Van Aken Steps Down as Linken Co-Chair Citing Health Reasons
