The crisis in Die Linke

Why the German left should stop opposing arms to Ukraine

[This article consists of a reply to an essay by Harald Wolf and Raul Zelik and a separate polemic by Zelik against my support for Ukraine. It’s long because it needs to be.]

Die Linke is in crisis. It only narrowly squeaked through to gain parliamentary representation in the 2021 Federal election; has failed to gain seats in three regional elections; has been damaged by a #MeToo scandal and is openly split over Ukraine.

On one side stand a historic faction of “Putin-understanders”; on the other, those who condemn the Russian invasion but remain opposed to sending arms to Ukraine on grounds of anti-militarism. As a result, the party’s MPs voted alongside the far-right AfD against arms supplies, inflicting further reputational damage.

The contribution of Harald Wolf and Raul Zelik on how to resolve this crisis is a step in the right direction. It identifies the key problems that have undermined Die Linke’s support. Namely:

• a foreign policy framework rooted in “campism” which sees NATO and the USA as the main aggressor in all conflicts;
• the tendency to underestimate the dictatorial/aggressive nature of Putin’s system;
• the determination of some high-profile…