Self-critical, but optimistic – that’s how Left Party boss Wissler im ARD summer interview presents. She made clear announcements not only in the Wagenknecht dispute, but also on Ukraine and climate protection.
In many polls at the federal level, the Left Party is struggling with the five percent hurdle. Party leader Janine Wissler is also aware of this critical situation. In the ARD summer interview of Report from Berlin she admitted: “We must be very worried about the survey results.”
In an interview with Tina Hassel, she made it clear that her party had to ask itself what she had to do differently. Despite internal disputes, she was confident about the political future. The party executive is working on a plan to be able to enter the Bundestag stronger again by 2025.
“We need something like a fresh start for the left,” said Wissler. For example, it is necessary to open up to social movements, trade unions and the climate movement. “Especially in times like these, a left-wing opposition is needed that stands up for social justice.”
Quarrel with Wagenknecht
Wissler showed a clear edge in the case of Sahra Wagenknecht. Left Party MPs should not publicly question their own party and “flirt with founding a new party”. In the meantime, she lacks any understanding that MPs are working hard on the party instead of fighting social problems.
According to Wissler, there was great support in the party and also in the state associations for the fact that Wagenknecht was asked by the party executive to resign from the Bundestag. In her opinion, the party executive did not break with Wagenknecht, but rather Wagenknecht made it clear that she would no longer run for the Left Party.
However, Wissler admitted that the bitter internal dispute was rejected by the people in the country. The development was “very regrettable”, but the party executive had to protect the members.
Socially fair climate protection
As an important issue for the party, Wissler identified climate protection – known to be the core issue of the Greens. According to Wissler, the federal government is doing nothing to protect the climate. The traffic light coalition is softening the climate goals and is not making any progress at all with the traffic turnaround. That’s why you have to put more pressure on the traffic lights when it comes to climate protection.
But climate protection must be socially just. The heat transition should not be passed on to the tenants. The carbon dioxide emissions of people are not the same, but strongly dependent on income. In this context, Wissler named rich people who had private jets or large yachts. The Left Party therefore wants to give people with low incomes more support.
Anyone who wants to protect the climate must also be willing to take on energy companies and industry. The Greens are not, as we saw in Lützerath.
“Russian troops have no business in Ukraine”
With regard to the war against Ukraine, Wissler called for a “diplomatic offensive”. You have great doubts that arms deliveries could quickly end this war. Of course, this would also require talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, Wissler made it clear that nothing could justify the Russian war of aggression. “Russian troops have no business in Ukraine.” That is why she is also demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops.
The Ukrainian side must decide whether Ukraine will give up fighting on national territory to end it. She lacks the imagination for how Ukraine could militarily reconquer Crimea. “We need negotiations, we need a lasting peace.”