German ‘Die Linke’ Party co-leader Hennig-Wellsow resigns citing “sexism in our own ranks”

German ‘Die Linke’ Party co-leader Hennig-Wellsow resigns citing “sexism in our own ranks”.

The German politician has stepped down with immediate effect.

CO-LEADER of the German ‘Die Linke’ (The Left) Party Susanne Hennig-Wellsow resigns citing “sexism in our own ranks” as one of three reasons for her decision.

Hennig-Wellsow, who had co-led the party with Janine Wissler since the end of February 2021, gave three reasons for her decision, which she announced on Wednesday, April 20.

“I am resigning from my position as party leader of the left with immediate effect,” she wrote.

“We delivered too little of what we promised,” explained Hennig-Wellsow. “A real new beginning has not materialised. An apology is due, an apology to our constituents whose hopes and expectations we have betrayed.”

“We were unable to keep the promise of being part of a forward policy change due to our own weakness,” she said about the state of her party. “Too few people believed that we were willing and able to actively change this country for the better.”

In a statement published on her homepage, Hennig-Wellsow gave three reasons for her resignation: her “private life situation”, “dealing with sexism in your own ranks” and the urgently needed renewal of the party, for which “new faces” were needed.

As reported by spiegel.de, Hennig-Wellsow listed the three reasons on her website:

1. “My private life situation does not allow me to be there for my party with the strength and time that is necessary in the current situation. I have an eight-year-old son who needs me, who has a right to time with me. But in this situation, the left also needs a leader who is there for the party with everything she has.”
2. “The past few months have been one of the most difficult periods in the history of our party. Renewal is all the more necessary, and this renewal needs new faces to be credible. The left deserves to be led by people who give our supporters and members courage again.”
3. “The handling of sexism in our own ranks has revealed blatant deficits in our party. I apologise to those affected and support all efforts that are now needed to make the left a party where sexism has no place.”

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