"Can't take it anymore": Anti-Semitism Commissioner leaves Left - Brandenburg's Antisemitism Commissioner Quits Left Party Over Policy Disputes
Andreas Büttner, Brandenburg's commissioner for antisemitism, has resigned from the Left Party after nearly a decade of membership. His departure follows years of internal conflict, including verbal attacks and the party's rejection of a widely recognised definition of antisemitism. Büttner cited deep disagreements over how the party handles antisemitism as the final reason for his exit.
Büttner first joined the Left Party in 2015 after earlier stints with the CDU and FDP. He served in Brandenburg's state parliament from 2009 to 2014 and again from 2019 to 2024. Over time, he faced persistent verbal abuse and defamation from fellow members, which peaked when the party launched expulsion proceedings against him.
The breaking point came as the Left Party abandoned the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Instead, it adopted the Jerusalem Declaration, a move Büttner criticised for weakening protections against antisemitic narratives. He argued that the party's shift made it harder to address antisemitism effectively. Büttner also condemned the party's slow response to personal attacks against him. After an assault, it took three days for officials to issue a public statement. He called the situation absurd, questioning how he could face expulsion for speaking out against antisemitism while the party failed to support him. His resignation underscores wider divisions within the Left Party. While groups like the Greens, SPD, and CDU continue backing the IHRA definition, the Left Party's rejection of it has sparked ongoing internal disputes. Critics, including Büttner, argue that the Jerusalem Declaration risks downplaying antisemitism by framing criticism of Israeli policies too narrowly.
Büttner's exit marks the end of a long-standing membership filled with conflict over antisemitism policies. His departure leaves the Left Party facing further scrutiny over its handling of internal dissent and ideological direction. The dispute also highlights broader debates in German politics about how to define and combat antisemitism.
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