Sahra Wagenknecht used to be very left-wing, but now critics accuse her of right-wing tendencies. She sees herself and her new party as a representative of the center. What does the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance want?
The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) has a lot planned. After her break with the left, Bundestag member Wagenknecht wants nothing less than a “new political beginning” for the entire republic. This Monday, the 54-year-old wants to officially found her party and present her program. The first test will be the European elections on June 9th, in which Wagenknecht is hoping for a double-digit result. She wants to steal votes from the AfD in the East German state elections in September. But first the BSW has to get on its feet.
Who is behind the BSW?
After joining the GDR state party SED in 1989, Wagenknecht was for decades one of the best-known faces of the successor parties PDS and Die Linke. Eloquent, clever and pugnacious, the studied philosopher with a doctorate in economics is the favorite of talk shows and a best-selling author. After years of disputes with the Left, she resigned from the Bundestag on October 23rd with nine other members of the Bundestag and announced the founding of the party.
The BSW association, which was intended to prepare the event, said it had thousands of inquiries. He also collected around 1.4 million euros in donations as start-up capital for the party, as BSW treasurer Ralph Suikat told the Germany editorial network. The aim is to initially recruit 400 to 500 members. Their political views and background were systematically examined, for example based on public statements on social networks. Wagenknecht says he wants to keep extremists or weirdos out.
Who are the leading figures besides Wagenknecht?
Her most loyal allies are the former leader of the left-wing faction in the Bundestag, Amira Mohamed Ali, and the Bundestag member Christian Leye, as well as the MPs Sevim Dagdelen, Klaus Ernst, Alexander Ulrich, Andrej Hunko, Jessica Tatti and Zaklin Nastic. The former left-wing politician Fabio De Masi and the long-time social democrat Thomas Geisel, former mayor of Düsseldorf, have been announced for the press conference this Monday.
Wagenknecht has indicated that Mohamed Ali should become one of two BSW chairmen. The namesake herself hesitated at first, but recently appeared open to being elected to the dual leadership. Top candidates are also needed for the European elections. She left it open whether Wagenknecht would run. De Masi and Geisel could be considered. The first BSW party conference is planned for January 27th in Berlin.
What does the BSW want politically?
The party program was refined right up until the very end. But Wagenknecht outlined her positions both in her book “The Self-Righteous” and in dozens of interviews. These include: limiting migration, stopping arms deliveries to Ukraine and energy sanctions against Russia, continued use of cheap gas and oil, no end to the combustion engine, turning away from “supposed climate policy”.
Wagenknecht advocates higher minimum and collective wages and better unemployment and pension insurance benefits, even if this means higher contributions. The state should invest more money in education and infrastructure and therefore loosen the debt brake and tax wealth and high incomes more heavily.
During the corona pandemic, Wagenknecht was skeptical about restrictions and vaccinations. She castigates “language war” and “cancel culture.” “The moralizing left-wing liberalism has long since tipped over into a new authoritarianism that has totalitarian traits,” she claims in “The Self-Righteous.”
Is the party more left-wing or more right-wing?
“The right-left schema is reaching its limits,” says Trier party researcher Marius Minas. On economic issues it is more left-wing, on social issues it is more right-wing. There is a gap in the party system that she could fill, says Minas. “I assume that the party aims to win voters from both the AfD and the Left who are not party-affiliated.”
The Düsseldorf political scientist Thomas Poguntke sees a “supply gap” also on the part of the SPD. “It has been said for a while that it sometimes cares more about those who don’t work than about those who work. In addition, many on the left also say that the welfare state can only be financed if you get migration under control.” Wagenknecht himself recently told SWR: “I think we will represent the middle of society.”
What are the chances for the new party?
Party researcher Poguntke comes to the conclusion: “The bottom line is that there is definitely potential for the Wagenknecht party.” According to an Insa survey for “Bild” in December, BSW could reach 12 percent nationwide. But imponderables remain. “Founding a party in Germany is not easy,” says Poguntke. “If you want to compete nationwide, you have to be organized in all 16 federal states with state associations, statutes, basic programs and so on.”
The expert says the timing is right. “The hurdles for a new party are lower in the European elections because you can run with a federal list. And there would be momentum for the state elections in East Germany that the new party could take with them.” The BSW could benefit from the great discontent with the established parties. Wagenknecht’s fame also helps. But there is a downside: “The party is very much tailored to Ms. Wagenknecht,” says Poguntke. “Normally, party formations need a little more breadth in terms of staff and also in terms of area. It will be interesting to see whether that works.”