Ruling bodies

  • PresidenT
  • political secretariat
  • executive board

Walter Baier

President

Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ), Austria

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Walter Baier

President

Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ), Austria

Political profile

Walter Baier, an economist based in Vienna, was elected President of the European Left (EL) in December 2022. He served as National Chairman of the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) from 1994 to 2006 and was an editor of the Austrian weekly Volksstimme. From 2007 to 2022, he was Coordinator of transform! europe, a network of 38 organizations from 22 European countries and the recognized political foundation of the Party of the European Left.

Political Priorities
1.
Peace agenda now: end the war in Ukraine, stop genocide in Gaza & Lebanon, and stop aggression against Iran
2.
Put people before profit: secure, well-paid jobs and strong workers’ rights across Europe
3.
Housing is a right: guarantee affordable, decent homes for all—not speculation
4.
Dignity in life: pensions that prevent poverty and ensure social security for everyone 
5.
System change: fight for a healthy environment and a just, democratic Europe led by people

Olga Athaniti

Member

Néa Aristerá, Greece

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Olga Athaniti

Member

Néa Aristerá, Greece

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Peace, culture, and environmental activist. Former member of the EL Culture Working Group, coordinator of the EL Migration Working Group. Presented relevant topics at many international events.

Hélène Bidard

Vice-President

Parti Communiste Français, France

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Hélène Bidard

Vice-President

Parti Communiste Français, France

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Feminist and activist in the peace movement and against militarisation. Head of Foreign Affairs at the National Secretariat of the Communist Refoundation Party, Italy.

Anna Camposampiero

Member

Partito della Rifondazione Comunista, Italy

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Anna Camposampiero

Member

Partito della Rifondazione Comunista, Italy

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Feminist and activist in the peace movement and against militarisation. Head of Foreign Affairs at the National Secretariat of the Communist Refoundation Party, Italy.

Markéta Juřicová

Member

Levice, Czech Republic

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Markéta Juřicová

Member

Levice, Czech Republic

Political Profile

Member of the European Left Executive Board. Co-chair of Levice (CZ). Active in the antifascist and anti-war movement. Advocate for solidarity against rising austerity and authoritarianism in Central and Eastern Europe.

Willy Meyer

Member

Izquirda Unida, Spain

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Willy Meyer

Member

Izquirda Unida, Spain

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Political scientist (UNED, Complutense). Former PCE/IU leader, jailed and exiled under Franco. Served in the Spanish Congress (1996–2000) and the European Parliament (2004–2014). Activist on historical memory and global security.

Marta Martin Moràn

Vice-President

Partido Comunista de España, Spain

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Marta Martin Moràn

Vice-President

Partido Comunista de España, Spain

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Firm commitment to the internationalist cause. Area of work: International Relations and Cooperation, as well as the development of local governments.

David Pestieau

Vice-President

Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA - PTB), Belgium

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David Pestieau

Vice-President

Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA - PTB), Belgium

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Political Director of PVDA-PTB and member of its Executive Committee. David is from Brussels and the author of We Are One: A Manifesto for the Unity of Belgium. He is also in charge of the party’s Education and Training Department.

Helmut Scholz

Member

Die Linke, Germany

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Helmut Scholz

Member

Die Linke, Germany

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Active in the founding of EL (2001–2004) and subsequent developments. Member of the European Parliament (2009–2024). Experienced in international relations, trade, democracy and citizen involvement, enlargement, and social-ecological transition.

Valentina Škafar

Member

Levica, Slovenia

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Valentina Škafar

Member

Levica, Slovenia

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. International Coordinator of Levica, and former European Parliament adviser. Focused on international solidarity, democratic participation, and AI policy.

Rania Svigkou

Member

SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, Greece

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Rania Svigkou

Member

SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, Greece

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Head of International and European Affairs of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance. Active in international solidarity and feminist movements. Advocate for cooperation among left, green, and progressive forces.

Attila Vajnai

Member

Magyarországi Munkáspárt 2006, Hungary

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Attila Vajnai

Member

Magyarországi Munkáspárt 2006, Hungary

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Active in the coordination and organization of antifascist events in Hungary. Founding member of EL in 2004 in Rome. Chairperson of the Workers’ Party of Hungary since 2006.

Max Zirngast

Member

Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, Austria

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Max Zirngast

Member

Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, Austria

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board. Member of the Executive Board of KPÖ. Municipal councillor in St. Pölten and responsible for KPÖ in Lower Austria. Spent several years in Turkey and worked as a journalist covering the Middle East, among other issues.

Jiří Hudeček

Treasurer

Levice, Czech Republic

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Jiří Hudeček

Treasurer

Levice, Czech Republic

Political Profile

Member of the EL Executive Board (2004–2022), EL Treasurer since 2023, and former coordinator of the Commission on Statute. Founding member of Levice. Biochemist and university professor. Active in academia, trade unions, and public institutions.

Ufuk Mustafa

Member

Syriza, GR

Foivos Tsiklias

Member

Syriza, GR

Tiina Sandberg

Member

Communist Party of Finland, FI

Heikki Ekman

Member

Communist Party of Finland, FI

Ezgi Deniz

Member

SOL Party, TR

TBC

Member

SOL Party, TR

Katja Sluga

Member

Levica, SI

Bastian Jerenko

Member

Levica, SI

Ana Correia Da Veiga

Member

Déi Lénk, LU

Ben Muller

Member

Déi Lénk, LU

Sylvie Vinceneux

Member

French Communist Party, FR

Vincent Boulet

Member

French Communist Party, FR

Christina Simó

Member

Communist Party of Spain, ES

Manu Pineda

Member

Communist Party of Spain, ES

Elena Ollero

Member

United Left, ES

José Criado

Member

United Left, ES

Alba Blanco

Member

United and Alternative Left, Catalonia, ES

Arnau Piqué

Member

United and Alternative Left, Catalonia, ES

Marika Tändler-Walenta

Member

Die Linke, DE

Martin Günther

Member

Die Linke, DE

Kate Hudson

Member

Left Unity, UK

Felicity Dowling

Member

Left Unity, UK

Nora Dornis

Member

Communist Party of Austria, AT

Daniel Schukovits

Member

Communist Party of Austria, AT

Ianthe Ghaye

Member

Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA-PTB), BE

Merlin Leonard

Member

Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA-PTB), BE

Irina Aleksova

Member

Bulgarian Left, BG

Margarita Mileva

Member

Bulgarian Left, BG

Yanina Huzouskaya

Member

Belarusian Party of the Left "Fair World", BY

Yury Suares

Member

Belarusian Party of the Left "Fair World", BY

Markéta Juřicová

Member

Levice, CZ

Olga Athaniti

Member

Nea Aristera, GR

Lefteris Stoukogeorgos

Member

Nea Aristera, GR

Elodie Schwander

Member

Gauche Républicaine et Socialiste, FR

Frédéric Faravel

Member

Gauche Républicaine et Socialiste, FR

Judit Somi

Members

Workers' Party of Hungary, HU

Eleonora Forenza

Member

Partito della Rifondazione Comunista, IT

Alexander Eniline

Member

PST Switzerland, CH

Lorena Delgado Varas

Member

Framtidens Vänster, SE

Daniel Riazat

Member

Framtidens Vänster, SE

Roman Čučela

Observer

Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, CZ

Maxime Ramirez

Observer

Demain, BE

Marios Lagou

Observer

AKEL - Progressive Party of Working People, CY

Murat Kanatli

Observer

YKP - New Cyprus Party, CY

Eleni Beloki

Observer

Sortu, the Basque Country, ES

Salih Sonustun

Observer

BKP

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