“Stupid energy sanctions”
Wagenknecht party wants rapprochement with Russia
December 29, 2023, 8:58 a.m
Sarah Wagenknecht and her colleagues make no secret of their proximity to Russia. The future party around the ex-left-wing politician wants to end the “economic war” with Russia and the “stupid energy sanctions”. The alliance also takes a clear position on asylum policy.
The future party led by Sarah Wagenknecht wants to campaign for a stricter asylum policy and an economic rapprochement with Russia. The alliance rejects the “economic war, the stupid energy sanctions against Russia,” said foreign expert and Wagenknecht confidant Sevim Dagdelen in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin.” Dagdelen also spoke out against “uncontrolled immigration” and for more “reason” and “reality” in asylum policy.
Wagenknecht resigned from the Die Linke party in October along with nine other MPs, including Dagdelen. A new party is due to launch in January, which will emerge from the already founded association “Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht”. As a consequence, the Bundestag faction of the Left decided to dissolve itself on December 6th.
The newly founded party wants to run in the European elections in June 2024 as well as in the state elections in Thuringia, Brandenburg and Saxony in the fall. “We are trying very hard and will do everything we can to make a sensible and serious offer for voters in the elections in East Germany,” said Dagdelen. When asked about differences with the AfD, the Bundestag member referred to social, economic, defense and health policy. She sees “no similarities whatsoever with the AfD.”
It is currently difficult to estimate how big the vote potential of the new “Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance” is. According to an initial analysis by the CDU, the potential is “definitely 10 percent,” said CDU leader Friedrich Merz. “A small part of this potentially comes at the expense of the Union.” It is also possible that AfD voters switched to the Wagenknecht party camp. How many is difficult to say.