The Left Party (Die Linke), one of Germany’s opposition parties in the Federal Assembly, announced two women as its co-chairs during its online congress this weekend.
The congress, which was postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic, continued for two days and during the last session elections were held for the new administrative staff and co-chairs of the party. Two women and two men competed for the leading position in the election. Co-chairs Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger, who had been at the head of the party for eight years, were not among the candidates.
Hessen State Parliamentary Group President Janine Wissler took 84% of the delegates and Thuringia State Parliament Group Chairperson Susanne Hennig-Wellsow took 70%, enough for both women to become the new co-chairs of the Left Party. The final election results will be announced after the votes of the delegates are received by mail.
Susanne Hennig-Wellsow thanked the delegates and said that it is important for two women to be leading their party. “This will empower women to be more active within the party, and we will work hard for that”, she said.