Berlin, Germany – Within the weeks main as much as the German election, Friedrich Merz, the person tipped to develop into chancellor, broke a longstanding, cross-party firewall that blocked cooperation with the far-right, anti-immigrant celebration, the Different For Deutschland (AfD), to push via more durable migration laws.
Political strain had been piling after two lethal assaults inside a matter of weeks, reportedly carried out by males who had sought asylum within the nation.
Whereas the laws was in the end blocked, the transfer prompted condemnation from throughout the political spectrum, together with from former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who, like Merz, belongs to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
In an impassioned speech within the Bundestag, the German Parliament, a visibly outraged Heidi Reichinnek, co-governor of the Left celebration often known as Die Linke, lambasted Merz instantly for working “intentionally’’ with “rightwing extremists”.
“All this occurred solely two days after we commemorated the liberation of Auschwitz, two days after commemorating the murdered and tormented. Now you’re collaborating with those that keep it up this identical ideology,” she mentioned.
The speech went viral, with greater than seven million views on TikTok, and pushed Reichinnek to the highest of nationwide information agendas. Protection centered on the fallout, but in addition the social media presence and magnificence of the self-described socialist, feminist and anti-fascist who’s adorned with tattoos – together with an inking of the German Marxist Rosa Luxemburg.
Because the election drew nearer, Reichinnek doubled down on her progressive push, assembly with a distinguished queer influencer, posting often to her tons of of 1000’s of social media followers, criticising Merz additional, and talking out about housing prices and the AfD.
The technique paid off.
Within the February 23 election, Die Linke polled at 9 p.c, greater than doubling its voter share from the final election in 2021, with a reported quarter of younger folks backing it. It was the very best determine for any celebration amongst this demographic.
Talking to Al Jazeera following the outcome, Reichinnek, who shares the management with Soren Pellmann, mentioned it was an unimaginable achievement not only for Die Linke, however for everybody who stood up for “social justice, solidarity, and democracy”.
“The truth that so many individuals have joined the celebration, that tons of of 1000’s took to the streets to defend human rights, and that we had been in a position to attain so many new voters exhibits that there’s actual momentum for progressive politics in Germany.
“However that is just the start. Elections are necessary, however they aren’t the tip objective – they’re a step in a a lot greater combat. The price of residing disaster isn’t over, social inequality remains to be rising, and the far proper remains to be a menace. That’s why we are going to proceed to be a loud and uncompromising voice in parliament and on the streets,” mentioned Reichinnek.
Commentators are crediting the 36-year-old for enjoying an integral function in Die Linke’s electoral resurgence following inside struggles. In 2023, one in all its high-profile leaders, Sahra Wagenknecht, stop and in 2024, low polling figures within the European and regional elections had many writing off the celebration.
“It was astonishing to see this rise of Die Linke, which appeared doomed to dying final yr,” Stefan Marschall, a political scientist on the Heinrich Heine College in Duesseldorf instructed Al Jazeera. “What occurred, particularly over the past mile of the marketing campaign, was that Die Linke was in a position to mobilise numerous younger folks. And Reichinnek’s function was necessary, her communication technique was very clear and addressed sure points, such because the excessive housing prices and the resurgence of the far-right, which many younger persons are involved about.”
“Up till now, the AfD had been unchallenged on social media,” mentioned Moheb Shafaqyar, a Die Linke member in Berlin. The district he’s energetic in, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, upended the Inexperienced celebration seat, a high-profile left-wing outcome nationally. “Whereas in Germany and globally there’s a scary development of younger folks voting for the fitting, on this election now we have seen a development reversal.”
East German roots
Born within the japanese state of Saxony-Anhalt in 1988, a yr earlier than the autumn of the Berlin Wall, Reichinnek was excited about politics and a good society from her teenage years.
“On the high of the checklist of issues that pissed off me are the Hartz IV legal guidelines (unemployment reforms), which I need to abolish,” she mentioned in a 2022 interview. “Equality for ladies is simply as necessary to me as efficient and higher youngster and youth welfare and fundamental youngster advantages that help poor households.”
Between 2007 and 2011, she studied Center Jap Research and Political Science on the Martin Luther College of Halle-Wittenberg. Throughout this era, she hung out in Cairo because the so-called Arab Spring broke out.
“I used to be amazed at what folks can obtain after they stand collectively,” she mentioned of Egyptian protesters.
She engaged in additional educational pursuits, together with as a analysis assistant on a challenge transformation in Arab societies, and intervals working within the social sector, together with educating German to refugees, earlier than she joined Die Linke in 2015. She turned a member of the Left faction in Osnabrueck in northwest Germany a yr later. Right here she took on roles comparable to spokesperson for a self-described socialist, feminist, anti-fascist and ecological grassroots initiative.
She rose via the celebration ranks. On the state celebration convention in Decrease Saxony in 2019, she obtained the help of greater than 86 p.c of delegates, making her the celebration’s youngest state chairwoman. Two years later, she was elected to the Bundestag on the Decrease Saxony state checklist, engaged on points comparable to pensions and youth, ladies’s and household coverage ever since.
“An East German background remains to be an exception in Germany’s political sphere,” mentioned the political scientist, Marschall. “Her background in an East German working-class family additionally highlights that she didn’t enter politics from a place of privilege, making her engagement with social coverage points considerably extra genuine.”
The timing of her ascent as Die Linke confronted inside strife additionally helped her trajectory. A nasty outcome within the 2021 federal election adopted by disagreements over its place on immigration and later Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine contributed to the departure of Wagenknecht and a cohort of colleagues, who shaped a brand new celebration, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) final yr.
Ozger Ozvatan is the top and co-founder of the range and inclusion company Transformakers, and the writer of Jede Stimme Zaehlt (Each Vote Counts, 2025) primarily based in Berlin. He mentioned throughout this troublesome time for the celebration, alternatives emerged.
“Wagenknecht was in opposition to immigration and after she left, there was an opportunity for the progressive and pro-immigration voices inside the celebration to develop into greater and transfer the celebration in direction of extra liberal immigration insurance policies.”
The opposite issue, Oezvatan mentioned, was the Israel-Palestine battle, which led to additional departures.
“There was one other window of alternative for human rights activists to make it a extra pro-Palestinian and Israel-critical celebration. To most people, this made Die Linke look extra progressive and human rights-oriented.”
Reichinnek was energetic on social points and fascinating with the voters on- and offline.
“She is an genuine voice for social coverage due to her work up to now within the subject,” Ozvatan mentioned, “plus she was already seen as a social media star earlier than the election marketing campaign interval, and this undermined the place that politicians solely go on TikTok as a result of it’s an election marketing campaign.”
“She will get near folks, and she or he appears to be very trustworthy and really frank in the way in which she talks, which we noticed within the speech to Merz,” added Marschall. “And that’s very enticing to people who find themselves used to older, extra managed and unemotional political figures.”
It’s a mode that has resonated with Die Linke voters comparable to Lina Mueller*, a 34-year-old counsellor in a being pregnant recommendation centre, who requested Al Jazeera to make use of a pseudonym because of the delicate nature of her work.
“Reichinnek stands for a youthful era of the celebration whereas on the identical time continues to combat older Left battles round social justice and anti-abortion laws. She doesn’t use methods to get extra votes from AfD voters in the way in which that Wagenknecht does. Whereas they each seem to be populists, Reichinnek comes throughout as very convincing.”
Because the post-election mud settles and Germany contends with a recession-facing financial system and a re-energised far-right, Reichinnek’s celebration has “numerous vitality in the meanwhile, and she or he’s one of many batteries”, Marschall mentioned.
In keeping with celebration member Shafaqyar in Berlin, the celebration line has an invigorating sense of readability.
“Reichinnek is worried in regards to the points, not private self-importance and energy for the sake of energy. I hope it stays that manner.”
