- Opponents are engaged in heated contestation during the election campaign.
There's ongoing tension between The Left and the Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) during the Saxon election campaign. BSW chair Sabine Zimmermann urged The Left to steer clear of spreading misinformation during the campaign. She expressed concern over The Left chair, Susanne Schaper, intentionally dispersing false information to disparage the BSW, as Zimmermann said to Deutsche Presse-Agentur. "We ought to strive to maintain the campaign discussion factual," Zimmermann stated.
The Left chair accused the BSW of promoting military research at Saxony's universities via Wahl-O-Mat. Zimmermann retorted that Article 5 of the Basic Law grants freedom of research and that research areas cannot be restricted. Nevertheless, this does not suggest BSW's endorsement of such research. BSW explicitly clarified its stance on this topic in its detailed reply to Wahl-O-Mat and advocates for voluntary renunciation of military research.
"The BSW has endorsed the notion 'Military research should be permitted at the universities of the Free State' – this can be found in Wahl-O-Mat," argued Left state business manager Lars Kleba. "These individuals possess a strategic relationship with the truth. This is further evident in their defamatory claim that The Left has neglected critical social issues like care, wages, or education," Kleba stated.
The alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) separated from The Left in autumn 2023. In current polls, the BSW is garnering up to 15% support in Saxony. Conversely, The Left is presently at 3-5% and may not secure a return to parliament. They aspire to secure two direct seats in Leipzig. In the event of winning these seats, The Left would also be represented in the state parliament through list candidates, contingent upon the vote share.
During the heated campaign for the election of the regional parliament, The Left faced criticism for spreading misinformation about BSW's stance on military research. In response to these allegations, BSW clarified their position, advocating for voluntary renunciation of military research and distancing themselves from any endorsement of such research.
