Bernd Riexinger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernd Riexinger
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Riexinger in 2018
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| Leader of The Left | |
| In office 2 June 2012 – 27 February 2021 Serving with Katja Kipping
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| Preceded by | Klaus Ernst |
| Succeeded by | Susanne Hennig-Wellsow |
| Member of the Bundestag for Baden-Württemberg |
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| Assumed office 24 October 2017 |
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| Preceded by | multi-member district |
| Constituency | The Left List |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1955 Leonberg, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany (now Germany) |
| Political party | The Left (2007–) |
| Other political affiliations |
Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative (2004–2007) |
Bernd Riexinger (born October 30, 1955) is a German politician. He is a member of the political party called Die Linke. From 2012 to 2021, he was a co-leader of The Left party, working with Katja Kipping. He is also a member of the Bundestag, which is Germany's parliament, representing the state of Baden-Württemberg.
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About Bernd Riexinger
Bernd Riexinger says he grew up in a working-class family. When he was young, he was a strong pacifist. This means he believed that all wars and violence are wrong. Because of this, he chose not to serve in the military.
After finishing high school and business school, Riexinger trained to be a bank clerk. He worked at a company called Leonberger Bausparkasse until 1980. From 1980 to 1990, he was part of the works council at the same company. A works council is a group of employees who represent other workers. They help make sure workers' rights are protected. During this time, he learned a lot about labor laws and how to negotiate for workers' rights.
In 1991, he became a trade union official. A trade union is an organization that helps workers get fair pay and good working conditions. Riexinger is also involved in a group that connects left-wing trade union members. He is active in the Social Forum movement in Germany, which brings together people who want to solve global problems.
Political Journey
In 2003, Riexinger helped start big protests against a government plan called "Agenda 2010." This plan aimed to change Germany's economy and social system. He then joined a new left-wing party called Labour and Social Justice (WASG). This party had split off from the Social Democrats.
Riexinger was the leader of the WASG party in the state of Baden-Württemberg. In 2007, WASG joined with another party to form The Left party. Until 2012, he was a manager for the ver.di trade union in Stuttgart. He was also a member of The Left party's leadership in Baden-Württemberg.
Riexinger is part of a group within The Left party called the Socialist Left. This group has strong socialist ideas. He is seen as a leader of the more left-wing side of the party.
On May 30, 2012, Riexinger announced he wanted to become the leader of The Left party. On June 2, 2012, he was elected co-leader. He won against Dietmar Bartsch with 53.5% of the votes from party representatives. He became co-leader with Katja Kipping, who was elected in a separate vote.
In June 2015, Riexinger was chosen as a top candidate for The Left party in the 2016 Baden-Württemberg state election. However, the party did not win any seats in that election, getting only 2.8% of the votes.
In the 2017 German federal election, Riexinger was one of six candidates from The Left party elected to the Bundestag from Baden-Württemberg. The party received 6.4% of the votes in the state.
In August 2020, Riexinger and Kipping announced they would step down as co-leaders. This was because of party rules that say no one should hold the same position for more than eight years. The party meeting to choose their replacements was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. It finally happened online in February 2021. Janine Wissler took over from Kipping, and Susanne Hennig-Wellsow took over from Riexinger.
In December 2024, Riexinger said he would not run for re-election in the 2025 federal election.
Political Views
Europe and the Economy
When it comes to money in Europe, Riexinger does not want countries to go back to using their own national money. He also doesn't support ideas for a European money system with different national currencies working together. This view is different from some other left-wing politicians in Europe, even some in his own party.
He wants to create a left-wing "third group" that stands against the current economic rules of the European Union (EU) and against right-wing populism. He believes it's important to have solidarity (supporting each other), internationalism (working with other countries), and radical democracy (where people have more direct power). He wants to build a "Europe from the bottom up" by working with left-wing groups across Europe.
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Riexinger supported the idea of "coronabonds" for Europe. These would be shared loans to help countries hit hard by the pandemic. He said that Germany, as the biggest economy, should help weaker countries. He believed that not helping them would make people turn to anti-EU and right-wing populist groups.
Asylum Policy
At a party meeting in June 2018, Riexinger spoke about asylum. He supported "safe, legal paths to asylum and open borders." This means he believes people seeking safety should have clear ways to enter a country, and borders should be more open. His views were different from some other leaders in his party.
Climate Change
In July 2019, Riexinger told a news group that he supports the government taking control of all airlines. This is called nationalisation. He believes that the free market alone cannot properly manage how much air travel affects the climate.
See also
In Spanish: Bernd Riexinger para niños
