A significant rupture emerged within Berlin’s Left Party (Linke) during its congress on Friday evening, when a number of prominent members walked out following heated disagreements over a motion concerning left-wing antisemitism. Key figures, including former Berlin Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer and Bundestag member Petra Pau, were among those who chose to leave.
The dispute centred around a motion that sought to critically address instances of antisemitism within left-wing circles. The motion specifically referenced the reaction of certain left-leaning individuals to the 7 October 2023 Hamas massacre, where civilians, including children, families, and festival-goers, were targeted.
The motion expressed deep alarm at the minimisation or even celebration of the attack by some who identified as left-wing, and it condemned calls for the destruction of Israel. The motion also underscored the importance of recognising “eliminatory antisemitism,” a term used to describe ideologies that seek the eradication of Jewish people, which it said fuelled the violence of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and their supporters, such as the Iranian regime.
The motion had received backing from prominent party figures, including former party leader Katina Schubert, Anne Helm, the chair of the party’s parliamentary group, and Sebastian Schlüsselburg. Klaus Lederer, who has addressed left-wing antisemitism in his book Mit links die Welt retten (Saving the World from the Left), strongly advocated for the motion’s approval.
However, tensions escalated when several proposed amendments to the motion were introduced. According to reports in Tagesspiegel, the amendments sought to dilute the original condemnation of left-wing antisemitism. For example, a section of the motion that highlighted the reaction of left-wing individuals to the Hamas massacre was altered to remove references to left-wing groups and to calls for Israel’s destruction. Instead, the revised text simply condemned those who relativised or celebrated the massacre, without specifying their political alignment.
Another amendment proposed the removal of a phrase advocating the protection of Jewish life in Berlin “using the rule of law.” The justification for this, according to Tagesspiegel, was that the rule of law had been used as a pretext to suppress pro-Palestinian protests.
Maximilian Schirmer, co-chair of the Berlin Left Party, commented on the emotional nature of the debate, acknowledging that differing perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict exist within the party. Schirmer noted that some members were directly affected by the issue, either as Jewish individuals or as those with family connections to the conflict. He suggested that part of the disagreement stemmed from different interpretations of antisemitism, including which academic definitions should be applied.
After a majority of delegates voted in favour of the amendments, the original motion was withdrawn by its supporters. Lederer, in protest, led the walkout of around 40 delegates, including several other high-profile members. In a personal statement, one of the motion’s supporters explained that the amendments had undermined the core message, and as a result, she could no longer participate in the congress.
The walkout raised concerns about the legitimacy of the congress proceedings, with a subsequent check needed to confirm whether enough delegates remained to maintain the quorum. An emergency motion to vote on the amended version of the antisemitism resolution failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority.
Despite the disruption, Schirmer maintained that the debate had been constructive, albeit contentious. He emphasised the party’s ongoing commitment to addressing all forms of antisemitism and protecting Jewish life in Berlin. Schirmer pointed out that the Berlin Left Party had passed a resolution the previous year affirming its stance against antisemitism and in favour of Jewish safety, and pledged that the party would continue to hold internal discussions on the matter.
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