Left Party leader Jan van Aken is a shareholder in the armaments company Rheinmetall - and is outraged by its high share price gains. "We bought two Rheinmetall shares eight years ago, you need the shares if you want to say a few clever things at a shareholders' meeting or make a bit of nonsense," said van Aken at the Left Party conference in Chemnitz.
And he continued: "I had a look yesterday and do you know that we have earned 3,200 euros in these few years with two piffle shares that cost just 180 euros? I think it's disgusting that people are making millions in profits from other people's war and suffering. That's why I think we need an excess profits tax for arms companies with immediate effect. Nobody should be allowed to make money from the suffering of other people, never ever."
According to a party spokesperson, Van Aken personally owns a single Rheinmetall share so that he can attend shareholder meetings. For the same reason, the Left Party chairman does not want to sell.
The share price of the armaments company has risen sharply since 2022. The company has recorded large increases in turnover due to high defense spending. According to preliminary calculations, turnover grew by around 46 percent to 2.3 billion euros in the first quarter of this year alone.
