German Left Party leaders Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan will not run for re-election at the party congress in October, they said in statements published on the party’s website on Sunday.
The move follows a series of election defeats and mounting criticism of the two leaders.
The far-left party has been in dire straits since the departure of a prominent former member and the subsequent decline in support.
On Saturday, the party leadership indicated that it is fighting for its survival.
“I realize that there is a need for a fresh start in parts of the party in terms of personnel,” Wissler said in her statement. “I think now is the right time to provide clarity, two months before the party congress, so that the party has enough time for a transparent process and to form an opinion about candidates within the party.”
Wissler and Schirdewan have jointly led the Left Party since 2022.
