At the first conference of the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance party, the founder once again called the traffic light “the most stupid government in Europe” and accused it of leading the country into crisis and, in the worst case, war. “Our country absolutely needs a new political beginning,” the 54-year-old said in Berlin on Saturday.
She left the left at the end of 2023 and founded the new party named after her in early January. She herself is president, along with the former leader of a left-wing faction, Amira Mohamed Ali. Around 390 members gathered at the Kosmos cinema in Berlin for the party's first national conference. They enthusiastically applauded Wagenknecht for his speech.
Wagenknecht: Victory for the “politically homeless”
With her new party, Sahra Wagenknecht wants to win over people who are disillusioned with the German coalition. “We are now preparing to change politics in Germany,” Wagenknecht said at the first federal party conference of the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) party.
“We are not left 2.0”
Internally, Wagenknecht warned the BSW to unite. The party's members are very diverse, including trade unionists, businesspeople, nurses, police officers, theologians, urban residents and villagers. This difference should be seen as an advantage. “We are not the Left 2.0, this also applies to how we treat each other,” said Wagenknecht. “Let’s treat each other with care.”
Wagenknecht dealt harshly with other parties, including the Union and the AfD. The AfD stands for record spending on armaments, and CDU leader Friedrich Merz in the Chancellery “certainly would not be the lesser evil,” she said. However, she attacked the government more harshly, accusing it of incompetence and indifference. Because of the arms deliveries to Ukraine, Wagenknecht spoke of “inhumane politics”.
Call for the “end of armaments”
In addition to peace and freedom of expression, Wagenknecht pointed to the search for more social justice as central political issues. Specifically, it called for, among other things: a higher minimum wage of at least 14 euros per hour, better pensions at a level like that in Austria, a healthcare system without pressure on income, affordable energy, a maximum limit on rents , a lifting of economic sanctions against Russia and “an end to arms accumulation”.
BSW General Secretary Christian Leye emphasized the separation from the AfD. This feeds people's despair, but does not defend it. Leye said that people with incomes of €300,000 or more would benefit most from the AfD program. Former SPD and left-wing politician Oskar Lafontaine – he is Wagenknecht's husband – said the AfD has “positions on economic and social policy that we can never accept”.
Wagenknecht, Mohamed Ali, Leye and other board members were elected in early January. Additional board members were elected at the current party conference. Former leftists Friederike Benda and Amid Rabieh became vice-presidents. Journalist Michael Lüders, Bundestag members Alexander Ulrich and Zaklin Nastic and former member Sabine Zimmermann were elected to the expanded council. Former SPD politician Thomas Geisel, who wants to enter the European Parliament, had the worst result with 66 percent.
Unanimous decision on the European program
Former leftist Fabio De Masi is expected to run for top spot in the European elections. The party congress unanimously supported the program for the European elections entitled: “An independent Europe of sovereign democracies – peaceful and fair”. This raises fundamental criticisms: “The EU, in its current constitution, is damaging the European idea”, he states.
One of the key points is the abolition of trading in CO2 certificates, which has until now been a central instrument of climate protection policy. It calls for the indefinite use of combustion engines and a return to oil and gas imports from Russia. The impetus is fewer EU requirements. If necessary, Germany should not adhere to EU rules. This contradicts the principle that EU rules are binding on all 27 Member States. They are negotiated by them together with the EU Parliament.
Commenter: “This is dangerous”
Wagenknecht went “all in” and mocked the traffic lights at the acclaimed conference of his alliance’s founding party. And this goes further,” wrote “Spiegel” commentator Rasmus Buchsteiner. “The alliance wants to change politics, but it also feeds anti-democratic impulses,” said ARD journalist Uwe Jahn.
She should not go overboard with “controversy and populism,” wrote “Spiegel” commentator Buchsteiner in Wagenknecht's direction. “There is already a party that, in case of doubt, will always be a little more unscrupulous than the new Wagenknecht group when it comes to sharpening and belittling others: it is called AfD,” said Buchsteiner.
“The 'Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance' could change Germany,” said ARD commentator Jahn. “In terms of social policy, this could even be a victory. However, with her positions on Russian politics, with her victim myth in the public debate and with her condescension towards those who assume political responsibilities, she feeds anti-democratic impulses. This is dangerous.”