Daniel Günther, Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein (CDU), has called for the resignation of Luigi Pantisano, the newly elected co-chair of the Left Party. This followed Pantisano’s comparison of the Christian Democrats to fascists in an interview with the newspaper “Bild.” Günther described the statement as ‘historically oblivious’ and stressed that anyone who equates the CDU with the AfD is unfit for serious democratic exchange.
Pantisano was elected as the new co-chair at the Left Party’s convention in Potsdam over the weekend. Party chair Ines Schwerdtner was confirmed in her position. However, Pantisano received only 53 percent of the vote without any opposing candidates, which is seen as a weak result. Schwerdtner told broadcaster phoenix that Pantisano must prove himself both within the party and in society.
In response to the criticism, Pantisano downplayed his remarks, claiming they had been taken out of context. He argued that the CDU pursues AfD policies in many areas and thus takes on partially fascist traits. Despite the strong reactions to his statements, Pantisano expressed openness to possible alliances with the CDU to prevent an AfD government.
Several leading Left Party politicians from the eastern state associations criticized Pantisano’s remarks. Eva von Angern, the top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, and Hennis Herbst, the Left Party leader in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, expressed irritation over the wording and emphasized the need to achieve improvements for the people.
Parliamentary group leader Heidi Reichinnek pointed out that the goal is to bring about positive changes for citizens in all political roles. The debate over Pantisano’s remarks could also impact the upcoming elections in the eastern German states.
EuroPulse reported on June 18, 2026, about the rejection of an apology by Günther in connection with Northvolt, which could further influence the political landscape in Schleswig-Holstein. [https://europulse.today/northvolt-daniel-guenther-entschuldigung-abgelehnt/]
Source: www.zeit.de
