Italo-German Luigi Pantisano elected leader of Germany's Die Linke party, faces uphill battle

Luigi Pantisano, a 46-year-old architect and son of Calabrian immigrants, has become the first Italian-German leader of a political party in Germany, Die Linke (The Left). He was elected party chairman in Potsdam with 53% of the vote, a result described as meager and which reportedly dampened the celebratory mood.

Pantisano, who grew up in Calabria with his three siblings, declared himself a socialist and vowed to win back the working-class vote. He drew on his personal history, stating, "I am the son of 'Gastarbeiter' (immigrant workers) from an Italian family. My parents worked hard to give my siblings and me a better future. I learned from them to fight." He sharply criticized Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative CDU, and the Social Democrats (SPD), accusing them of enriching their friends and collaborating to benefit the wealthy.

During his address to over 500 delegates, Pantisano highlighted the struggles of working people, referencing conversations with workers in Bremerhaven who "work hard and don't have time to see their children except on weekends." He expressed indignation at proposals to increase working hours and retirement age, stating, "Let's put workers' issues at the center of our program." Pantisano, who will also serve as a Member of the Bundestag starting in 2025, is currently the deputy group leader for Die Linke in parliament.

Pantisano also addressed foreign policy, declaring, "We of the Linke want peace," in opposition to rearmament. He spoke of experiencing "contempt" from those who looked down on people like him. "The problem is not those who arrive in Europe on a dinghy, but the contempt of those who fly over our heads in private jets," he stated, implicitly referencing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a licensed pilot. Die Linke, founded by Oskar Lafontaine, is currently polling between 10% and 12%, nearly matching the SPD's 12-13%, while the new party led by Sahra Wagenknecht appears to be falling below the parliamentary threshold.