Germany: Left party to hold leadership vote amid turmoil

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Left party says it will hold a leadership vote in June amid a series of internal spats including over the handling of sexism allegations. Co-leader Susanne Hennig-Wellsow resigned Wednesday. She cited the sexism spat and unfulfilled hopes for the party’s renewal. The Left said in a statement Sunday that its executive board “requires a new mandate.” It also cited the need to clarify its political direction and reform the party structure. The anti-capitalist party barely scraped into parliament at the last election and internal splits have been exacerbated recently by Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Left’s roots include the Socialist Unity Party that controlled East Germany until reunification. It has long had close ties to Moscow.