Gregor Gysi Leads Berlin Left Party in High-Stakes Bundestag Campaign

The veteran politician heads the ticket as the Left Party battles to retain parliamentary presence amid low polling numbers and internal challenges.

Gregor Gysi, 76, was elected as the top candidate for the Berlin Left Party with 95% support, aiming to secure his Treptow-Köpenick seat for the February 23 election.
The Left Party faces the challenge of surpassing the 5% threshold in national polls, currently hovering around 4%, and is focusing on winning key direct mandates to maintain Bundestag representation.
Ines Schwerdtner, the party's federal co-chair, secured the second spot on the Berlin list and will contest the Lichtenberg constituency, succeeding long-time MP Gesine Lötzsch.
Katalin Gennburg, a rising figure within the party, was nominated third on the list and will run in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, taking over from Petra Pau, who is stepping down.
The campaign, branded 'Mission Silberlocke,' also features senior leaders Bodo Ramelow and Dietmar Bartsch, emphasizing social justice, affordable housing, and opposition to austerity policies.