Following the narrow electoral result for Luigi Pantisano, Die Linke chief Ines Schwerdtner stated that her newly appointed co-president is facing a difficult test. “Luigi Pantisano will have to prove himself,” she told Phoenix during the Linke party day in Potsdam. “Not just within our own party, but in society as a whole.” Though she acknowledged the need for him to earn his stripes; meanwhile, the party leader expressed confidence in her own performance, viewing her election result as a confirmation of her political direction. “First of all, I am happy regarding the confirmation of my own result, which is also a confirmation of the course we have maintained over the last two years.”
Addressing the ongoing debate within Linksjugend Solid, Schwerdtner issued a stern warning regarding extremism: “We draw a clear line against every instance of antisemitism and we draw a clear line against every form of Stalinism. Anyone who holds these positions has no place in the party.” Despite this rigid stance, she confirmed they are still in discussion with the youth group, noting that there are “many reasonable voices” present. She emphasized that it is necessary to “distinguish between those who do foolish things and those who will go out into the streets with us for something genuinely good.”
