Federal Left Party Chairwoman Ines Schwerdtner believes her party is well prepared for the federal elections on February 23. She said at a party conference of the Saxon Left in Neukieritzsch near Leipzig that she was experiencing a new beginning in the party throughout Germany and that there was a great sense of togetherness. She was proud that this had already been achieved in just a few weeks. Schwerdtner was elected party chairwoman together with Jan van Aken at a party conference in Halle on October 19.
Schwerdtner also briefly touched on federal politics. The "traffic light" government had already failed three years ago and not just because of the crises. With a government under a CDU Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, there were fears of severe social cuts. Her party is against militarization and will defend the welfare state tooth and nail. "We also want to expand the welfare state." The aim is to socialize energy companies and housing corporations.
Schwerdtner announced a dual strategy for the election. He said the party did not want to stand on one leg like a flamingo, but rather strive for both direct mandates and the 5 percent in the second votes. "Silver curls" are important with regard to the direct mandates, she said, referring to party grandees such as Gregor Gysi, Bodo Ramelow and Dietmar Bartsch. Gysi had already made it clear that he could give a speech in the Bundestag without a time limit as an elderly president, she said to applause from the delegates.
