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Berlin, Germany – During the weeks leading to German electionsFriedrich Merz, the man who is set to become Chancellor, broke a long-standing, inter-party firewall that blocks cooperation with the far-right, anti-immigrant party, the Deutshaland alternative (AFD) to impose a tighter migration legislation.
Political pressure has accumulated after two deadly attacks within a few weeks, according to reports by men who have sought asylum in the country.
While the legislation was ultimately blocked, this move provoked a condemnation of the entire political spectrum, including former chancellor Angela Merkel, who, like Merz, belongs to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
In a fearless speech in Bundestag, the German Parliament, apparently outraged by Heidi Raychinek, co-governor of the left party, known as Die Linke, lamps Merz directly for working “deliberately” with “right extremists”.
“All this happened just two days after we celebrated Auschwitz's Liberation, two days after the killed and tortured were celebrated. You are now collaborating with those who continue the same ideology, “she said.
The speech became viral, with more than seven million Ticktock views and pushed Raichinek to the top of national news programs. The reflection focuses on falling out, but also the presence of social media and the style of the self-written socialist, feminist and anti-fascist, who are decorated with tattoos-influential ink of German Marxist Rosa Luxembourg.
As the election approached, Raichinek doubled in his progressive impetus, meeting a prominent Queer Influencer, posting regularly to his hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, further criticized Merz and talking about housing and AFD.
The strategy paid off.
In the February 23 election, Die Linke's anke is 9 percent, with more than doubling their share of voters from the last election in 2021, with a quarterly reported young people supported it. It was the highest figure for every party among this demographic group.
Speaking to Al Jazeera after the result, Raichinek, who shares the leadership with Soren Pelman, said it was an incredible achievement not only for Die Linke, but also for all who stand out for “social justice, solidarity and democracy”.
“The fact that so many people have joined the party that hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to protect human rights and that we have been able to reach so many new voters shows that there is a real speed of progressive politics in Germany.
“But this is just the beginning. Elections are important, but they are not the ultimate goal – they are a step in a much bigger battle. The cost of the life crisis is not over, social inequality is still increasing, and the far right is still a threat. That is why we will continue to be a strong and uncompromising voice in parliament and the streets, “Raichinek said.
Commentators credit the 36-year-old that they play an integral role in Die Linke's selective resumption after internal struggles. In 2023, one of its high -ranking leaders, Sahra Wagenknecht, left in 2024, and the low electoral data of the European and regional elections had many written off the party.
“It was amazing to see this rise of Die Linke, who looked doomed to death last year,” Stefan Marshall, a political scientist at Heinrich Heine University in Duseldorf, to Al Jazeera. “What happened, especially in the last mile of the campaign, was that Die Linke was able to mobilize many young people. And the role of Reichinnek was important, her communication strategy was very clear and dealt with certain problems, with the high costs of housing and the resumption of the extreme right, for which many young people are concerned. “
“So far, AFD has been undeniable on social media,” says Moheb Shafakiar, a member of Die Linke in Berlin. The area in which he is active, Friedrichschen-Creuseberg is national in the Green Party's seat, a high left-wing score on a national scale. “While in Germany and globally there is a frightening tendency for young people to vote for law, we saw a trend in these elections.”
Eastern German roots
Born in the Eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt in 1988, a year before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Raichinek was interested in politics and an honest society since her teenage years.
“At the top of the list of things that disappointed me are the laws of Hartz IV (unemployment reforms) that I want to remove,” she said in an interview with 2022. “Equality for women is just as important to me as the effective and better well -being of children and the main benefits for children who support the poor.”
Between 2007 and 2011, she studied research in the Middle East and political science at Martin Luther University in Halle-Witenberg. During this period, she spent time in Cairo when the so -called Arab spring broke out.
“I was amazed at what people could achieve when standing together,” she told Egyptian protesters.
She is committed to more academic activities, including as a research associate examining the transformation in Arab societies, and periods working in the social sector, including teaching German refugee, before joining Die Linke in 2015. She became a member of the left facing in the north of the Osnabaruk. Here she took a role as a spokesman for a self -written socialist, feminist, anti -fascist and environmental initiative.
She rose through the party ranks. At the State Party Conference in Lower Saxony in 2019, she received the support of over 86 percent of the delegates, making her the young Party state chairman. Two years later, she was selected in Bundestag on the list of state state state Saxony, working on issues such as pensions and young people, women and family policies since then.
“The Eastern German origin is still an exception to the political sphere of Germany,” said political scientist Marshall. “Her experience in the household of the working class in the Eastern German class also emphasizes that she did not go into policy from a privilege position, which makes her commitment to the problems of social policy much more authentic.”
The time of her climb, as Die Linke collapsed with internal discord, also helped her with the trajectory. A bad result of the 2021 federal elections, followed by disagreements regarding its position on immigration, and later the full-scale invasion of Ukraine contributed to the departure of Wagenknecht and a group of colleagues who formed a new party, Sahra Vagnaknecht Alliance (BSC) last year.
OEZGUER OEZVATAN is the head and co -founder of the Agency for Diversity and Inclusion Transformakers, and author of Jede Stimme Zaehlt (every number of votes, 2025) with headquarters in Berlin. He said that there were opportunities for the party during this difficult moment.
“Wagenknecht was against immigration, and after she left, there was a chance for progressive and pro-grabbing votes in the party to become bigger and move the party to a more liberal immigration policy.”
The other factor, the Ozzan said, is the conflict in Israel-Palestine, which led to further departments.
“There was another window of opportunities for human rights activists to make it a more critical party and the Israeli party. For the general public, this made Die Linke look more progressive and human rights. “
Reichinnek was active in social issues and engaged in the electorate of offline.
“It is an authentic voice for social policy because of its work so far in this area,” Ozzan said, “Plus has already been regarded as a star in social media before the election campaign period, and this undermined the position that politicians continue only on the Ticktock because it is a pre -election campaign.”
“She is approaching people and looks very honest and very honest the way she talks, which we saw in Merz's speech,” Marshall added. “And this is very attractive to people who are used to older, more controlled and non -emotional political figures.”
This is a style that resonates with Die Linke voters like Lina Muller*, a 34-year-old advisor at the pregnancy tips center who asked Al Jazeera to use a nickname because of the sensitive nature of his work.
“Reichinnek means the younger generation of the party, while continuing to fight older left-wing social justice and abortion legislation. She does not use strategies to get more votes from AFD voters the way she does Wagenknecht. While they both look like populists, Raichinek comes across very convincing. “
Since the dust after the election is precipitated and Germany is alleged with a recession economy and rearranged the right right, Raichinek's party has “a lot of energy right now and it is one of the batteries,” Marshal said.
According to a member of the Shafakiar party in Berlin, the party line has an invigorating sense of clarity.
“Reichinnek is concerned about problems, not personal vanity and power in the name of power. I hope it stays that way. “
