Career
He was named co-chairman of the party, together with Katja Kipping, on 2 June 2012. A banker by profession, Riexinger was on the works council of Leonberger Bausparkasse from 1980 to 1990. In 1991 he became a trade union official
In 2003, Riexinger was among the initiators of mass protests against the Agenda 2010 of the federal government at that time.
On 30 May 2012, Riexinger announced that he would run for the position of chairman of The Left, and on 2 June 2012 he was elected alongside Katja Kipping, winning 53.5% of the delegates" votes. He was elected ahead of second-placed candidate Dietmar Bartsch.
On 10 May 2014 he was overwhelmingly reelected along with Katja Kipping as chairman of The Left with 89% of the votes by a national party conference.