Jan van Aken, leader of the Left Party, has publicly criticized Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), alleging a tendency toward assertive and performative behavior. In a recent podcast interview with the Funke media group, van Aken stated he perceives a pattern of bravado in Merz’s actions that he finds concerning.
Specifically, van Aken referenced Merz’s early post-appointment trip to Kyiv and accompanying threats of further sanctions against Russia, claiming it suggested a lack of substantial backing. He characterized the move as posturing fueled by a desire to project strength.
The comments come at a time when the governing black-red coalition – comprised of the CDU/CSU and the SPD – may require support from opposition parties to achieve supermajorities in the Bundestag, such as for the election of Constitutional Court judges or amendments to the debt brake. Merz has so far refused to engage in negotiations with either the Left Party or the AfD.
During the interview, van Aken also detailed the difficult decision to run for the leadership of the Left Party, noting he was relinquishing a position he greatly enjoyed at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Tel Aviv-a role focused on disarmament and conflict resolution and which he described as well-compensated.
He justified his candidacy by expressing deep concern over the rising support for the AfD and the potential for a future conservative-AfD government. Van Aken predicted such a coalition could materialize within the next few years, potentially beginning at the state level – citing the upcoming elections in Saxony-Anhalt as a possible indicator.
The Left Party leader voiced particular reservations about the direction of the CDU under figures like Jens Spahn, the Union’s parliamentary group leader. While acknowledging a remaining contingent of moderate voices within the CDU, van Aken asserted that strong factions within certain state-level branches are increasingly aligned with more right-wing ideologies. He suggested Spahn’s recent public statements are not accidental, implying they reflect a calculated strategy to keep a potential collaboration with the AfD as a viable option, even at the federal level.
