The Young Left (German: Junge Linke; JL) is the youth wing of the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ).[3]

Young Left
Junge Linke
AbbreviationJL
SpokespersonAlisa Vengerova
Political DirectorJakob Hundsbichler
Finance OfficerDina Eggerth
AssessorsTanja Reiter
Julia Prassel
Dominik Rauch
Marina Andreu
Founded8 (8) – 10 June 2018 (10 June 2018)
Preceded byYoung Greens
Membership (2021)>300[1]
IdeologyAnti-capitalism
Anti-fascism
Feminism
Environmentalism
Communism[2]
Political positionLeft-wing
National affiliationKPÖ Plus
Colours  Red
  Purple
Website
jungelinke.at

Political positions

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The association sees itself as clearly politically left and part of the communist movement and describes itself as "the only nationwide youth organization that is working on building a strong left-wing force".[4] The Young Left strives for a "solidary society" that is free from poverty and discrimination.

Organization

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The Young Left is organized in district groups and national organizations.[5] The pioneering political and strategic decisions of the federal organization are made at the annual federal congress, at which all members are entitled to vote. The federal congress also elects the federal board, the executive body of the young left. The work of the federal board is controlled by the federal committee, which consists of delegates from the state and district divisions and is confirmed by the federal congress.[6]

History

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Spokespersons for the Young Left
Year Spokesperson
2018–2019 Flora Petrik[7]
2019–2020 Tobias Schweiger[8]
Since 2020 Alisa Vengerova[9]
 
Members of Junge Linke at a demonstration in Juni 2018

The Young Left were founded in Linz in June 2018. They represent the successor organization of the Young Greens and initially symbolized the end of the developments around the youth of Austria's Greens, who separated from their youth organization in spring 2017 – a new party youth organization of the Greens, the "Green Youth – Green alternative youth". Sarah Pansy was elected as the political director, in addition to her and Flora Petrik, five other members belonged to the board of directors. After the Young Greens split off from the Green Party, many members of the Young Greens were also members of the new organization Young Left. In addition, the existing association Junge Linke was merged into the new organization, which previously had active groups mainly in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Vienna.

In the summer of 2018, the first regional organizations such as those in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria and Vienna were founded.[10]

In March 2018, the former Junge Linke member Kay-Michael Dankl gained 3.7% of the votes in the Salzburg municipal council elections for the KPÖ and thus received a mandate.[11] On May 8 he was sworn in as a member of the parish council.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bundeskongress der Jungen Linken 2022" [National Congress of the Young Left 2022] (in German). Junge Linke. Archived from the original on 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  2. ^ "10 Punkte" [10 points] (in German). Junge Linke. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  3. ^ Theo Anders (2019-07-22). "KPÖ-Bündnis mitten im Klassenkampf". Der Standard. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  4. ^ Selbstverständnis Junge Linke
  5. ^ "Wir vor Ort". Junge Linke. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  6. ^ "Statuten des Vereins Junge Linke" (PDF). Junge Linke. 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  7. ^ "Junge Grüne starten mit dem Aufbau einer neuen Jugendorganisation". Junge Linke. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  8. ^ "Junge Linke wählen neuen Sprecher: Auf Flora Petrik folgt Tobias Schweiger". Junge Linke. 2019. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  9. ^ "Alisa Vengerova ist neue Sprecherin von Junge Linke". Junge Linke. 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  10. ^ „Junge Linke stellen sich neu auf“
  11. ^ "KPÖ-PLUS in Salzburg: "Wir sind noch nicht am Ziel"" (in German). Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  12. ^ "ÖVP stellt Bürgermeister und relative Mehrheit" (in German). 2019-05-09. Retrieved 2019-05-09.