Report on Our Second Party Congress
In April 2026, comrades from across Germany gathered for the largest party conference in our organisation’s history to date. The conference marked the culmination and conclusion of two years of intensive work aimed at adopting a new policy framework for our party. At the end of a weekend of intense discussions, we can confirm: we now have a party programme!
Adoption of the party programme
At the last party congress two years ago, we identified the drafting of a party programme as a key milestone. With the adoption of this programme, we have been able to take the next step in building the Communist Party. This programme is not merely a formal step: it is a guiding principle for the struggles of our class, a programme that provides revolutionary direction for the class struggle in Germany today. The process of founding the Communist Party is thus complete, and we can tackle the ongoing process of building the party with all the more determination. For this, too, became clear at the party congress: the working class in Germany needs a fighting party. At the party congress, comrades reported from their workplaces, from universities, from training centres, and from the trade unions. A clear picture emerged: the pressure on us as the working class is growing in all areas. Fear of the future and a lack of prospects are spreading. More and more people are looking for ways out of this system, particularly among the youth – but we are not yet in a position to carry out our work as a party in all those places where this discontent is so clearly evident. We still succeed far too rarely in transforming frustration with the prevailing conditions into class consciousness, the powerlessness of individuals into the experience of our strength as a class, and fear for one’s own future into a collective struggle for a better life. The party programme alone will not change that – but it is an important tool for us to start precisely there.
For a long time now, the Programmatic Theses have failed to do justice to the stage of development of our party. Emerging from the process surrounding the question “What next?” in 2017, the theses served as the programmatic basis for many years. Since then, our understanding has developed and become more focused on many issues. Whereas the Theses simply listed a string of open questions, an understanding gradually grew within the party that, for us as communists, ‘clarification’ must not mean simply addressing every interesting question. Instead, we must understand what the central strategic issues are that we need to address for the class struggle in Germany, and take a stance on them. As a result of intensive ideological work in recent years, the programme does precisely that. As a coherent document, it relates the various levels of our work to one another: starting from our ideological foundations, it captures the central shifts in the imperialist world system and consistently takes the position of the working class. German imperialism and the situation of the working class in Germany are outlined. Key lines of division within the working class are identified, and in particular bourgeois approaches to identity politics are exposed, which, under the pretext of combating discrimination, themselves divide the class and play it off against itself. Based on an analysis of contemporary capitalism, a revolutionary strategy and tactics are formulated. In the programme, we relate mass work to the necessity of a Communist Party and its roots in workplaces, and outline the perspective of a proletarian united front from below. The discussions surrounding the party programme made it clear that on many points we have already achieved a high degree of clarity and unity. However, the discussions at the party congress also showed that it is a constant struggle to keep the strategic orientation firmly in view. During the past period, and consequently also at the party congress, we did not always succeed in sufficiently translating this prioritisation of content into the discussion on the party programme.
The adoption of the party programme was the culmination and conclusion of a debate that has occupied us throughout the entire period since the last party congress. From the very first draft, the text went through several rounds of feedback within the party; the draft was read and critiqued in reading groups, and at the last summer camps numerous workshops on individual chapters of the programme took place, with interested parties from outside the party also actively participating in the debate. In-depth educational material on several aspects of the programme was distributed within the party; for example, an initial outline of a class analysis of today’s Federal Republic of Germany and of strategy and tactics was produced. The character of the programme itself and what it must achieve were also clarified.
This programme is not the result of the work of individual persons. It is the result of a collective effort by our party. In the discussions surrounding this programme, we have developed further as a party and as individuals. The drafting process was not always sufficiently systematic, and we will need to further refine the result by deepening our theoretical and practical work – but we have succeeded in adopting a document that sets out essential strategic points for our work: the programme of the Communist Party.
This programme is the basis on which we admit new comrades into the ranks of the Communist Party. It forms the substantive guideline for the youth organisation that we intend to build in the coming period. If we conclude that the founding process of the Communist Party is complete with the adoption of the programme, this does not mean that the process of building the party is over. On the contrary: the Party Congress has also clearly shown us how much remains to be done. The programme is the guiding principle for our forthcoming work – the work itself is only just beginning.
Resolution on key tasks for the coming period
This is where the second focus of the Party Congress came in: what are the key tasks for the coming period? This was also the subject of intensive discussion, and we were able to establish a clear direction. The top priority for the coming period lies in two areas: the struggle against imperialist war and, linked to this, workplace and trade union work. These priorities set the direction for all areas of our work: they are reflected in our plans regarding ideological work, in our education and in our publications. By setting these priorities, we are responding to the deep crisis of German imperialism and the associated threat of war. The changes are profound and far-reaching, and we must position ourselves accordingly for the coming years: without overestimating our capabilities, with a realistic view of our possibilities, but in the knowledge that we play an important role, that our actions make a difference, and that we will build the Communist Party in the ideological, political and economic struggles that are inevitably ahead.
The establishment of a youth organisation for the coming period was identified as a key project. At the party congress, it became clear that the need for such an organisation is evident and that there is broad agreement on this within the party as a whole. However, we also had to acknowledge, in a self-critical manner, that we have not yet managed, in the past period, to create the necessary personnel, organisational and substantive conditions for its immediate establishment.
Developments since the founding party congress
The party congress is also a moment when the state of the party, its strengths and weaknesses, come to light very clearly. It thus became apparent what we have achieved over the last two years. We have developed from a small organisation that was primarily active within the existing communist movement into a (still small) party that increasingly takes the situation of the working class and international developments as the starting point for its work. At our last party congress, we were still discussing the party’s founding. The growth and activity we have been able to achieve as a party since then is remarkable. New local groups have sprung up across the country. New comrades have joined the party, taken on responsibilities in various parts of the organisation, and participated actively and constructively in the party congress discussions. This growth was immediately apparent at the party congress due to the large number of new comrades for whom this was their first Communist Party congress. This scale requires adjustments to our working methods – this too will be a task for the coming period. Over the past two years, we have not only been able to draw up a programme; with ‘Class Struggle and Science’, we have also succeeded in publishing a scientific journal with several issues. In this journal, we have been able to publish our scientific work regularly in a clear and accessible form, thereby opening it up for discussion. More and more comrades are writing articles. In the area of workplace organising, we as a party have taken important steps in the last period: mass organising is increasingly becoming a central focus within our local structures; numerous comrades have become active in their workplaces; class-struggle workplace discussion groups have been established; and works councils have been founded. Awareness of the importance of workplace organising for our strategy, but also for our grassroots roots and personal development as communists, has noticeably increased throughout the party, and the development of workplace cells is regarded as necessary across the party.
Increasing integration of the Communist Party into the international communist movement
Significant progress has also been made in the area of international work. This was particularly evident in the attendance at our party congress by comrades from 14 international sister parties and organisations – more than ever before. Among the delegations present were, among others, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE), the Communist Party of Mexico (PCM), the Communist Workers’ Party – for Peace and Socialism (KTP) from Finland, the Party of Labour of Austria (PdA), the Revolutionary Communist Party of France (PCRF), the Revolutionary Communist Party of Brazil (PCBR), the Communist Workers’ Platform of the USA (CWPUSA), the Workers’ Front of Ukraine (RFU), the Young Communists of Belgium (JCB), the Revolutionary Communist Youth Union (Bolsheviks) (Rksm(b)) from Russia, the Communist Vanguard (CV) from Great Britain, and one other party. Furthermore, the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) had also confirmed its attendance but had to cancel at short notice the day before for organisational reasons.
Many of the parties mentioned, as well as others, also sent us messages of greeting, which we will publish in the coming days. During the breaks, the international guests answered numerous questions from our comrades and exchanged views with us on experiences in the class struggle in their respective countries.
Above all, however, their presence showed us that the struggle we are waging here as the Communist Party in Germany is not an isolated struggle. We are waging it together with communists all over the world. The modest contribution we make to this as the Communist Party is, however, being followed with increasing interest at an international level. At the same time, our party is also benefiting more and more in its development from exchanges with communist parties from all over the world. We would like to take this opportunity to thank once again all our international guests and all the parties that sent us messages of greeting for their contribution to our party congress. It honours us and fills us with pride to know you are by our side!
The work begins after the party congress!
Throughout all the discussions at the party congress, it was clear: we are part of the same endeavour. Comrades who had never met before, from different cities and regions, were able to engage in a joint discussion thanks to the structure of the Communist Party. We worked on the same issues and grappled with the same arguments. Through the debates, we succeeded in sharpening our understanding; we were able to persuade and be persuaded, we criticised and accepted criticism, we asked questions and provided answers. And as a party, we were able to make clear and well-founded decisions. The Party Congress was a living experience of democratic centralism. Even though shortcomings continued to emerge, stemming, for example, from the quite varied levels of education within our party and our overall lack of experience. But to a degree that enabled us, as a party, to take decisions on key issues – decisions that we will implement together nationwide. It was remarkable that many new comrades in particular took the floor with carefully prepared speeches. Instead of false obedience to ideologically trained and experienced comrades, criticism and questions were voiced openly.
Thus, we emerge from this party congress strengthened and encouraged. Proud of what we as a party have already achieved in recent years. With concern at the daily attacks on us and our class brothers and sisters by capital, and at the weakness of the Communist movement in Germany, which we are still unable to overcome sufficiently. Encouraged by the seriousness and hard work of all our comrades, which we were able to witness at the party congress. Above all, however, convinced of the necessity of the Communist Party.
A successful party congress lies behind us – and a great deal of work lies ahead. Work that we can tackle with even greater clarity and determination thanks to the party congress and the programme adopted there. Having devoted much of our focus to the intensive preparations for the party congress in recent weeks, we are now turning our attention outwards once again. We are launching activities in various cities, becoming active in more and more workplaces, expanding our publishing work, establishing our party structures and preparing to found a youth organisation.
The party congress was an important step in building the Communist Party – many more steps must follow. In some areas, we have already made more progress than we dared to hope for. In others, the party congress has clearly highlighted our shortcomings. Recognising both is a prerequisite for becoming the party our class needs. We lack this party in every single struggle of our class. When jobs are cut and wages reduced, when workloads keep increasing, when we are conscripted into the military for wars that are not ours. We need this party. The road ahead is still long. But with this party congress, we have taken the next steps along that path.
