Political scientist: Wagenknecht alliance has a good chance of successfully forming a party
By sharply distinguishing herself from the traffic light coalition and the Greens, Wagenknecht is making it clear that she is targeting them. "Then she focuses thematically on redistribution - she is trying to reach voters from the left spectrum." The alliance is therefore targeting these two groups, protest and redistribution voters.
The Wagenknecht party could also gain votes from the AfD. According to the political scientist, some AfD voters are dissatisfied with the current government policy - the new party could win them over. "But a much larger proportion of AfD voters tend to hold authoritarian positions on social and migration issues."
Wagenknecht has often expressed scepticism towards migration in the past, Jun emphasized. However, he had heard little criticism on the subject of migration from her fellow campaigners, the other former Left Party MPs. "If the party wants to be successful in the AfD spectrum, it must take a clear stance on migration scepticism," said the political scientist in the interview.
He sees the greatest potential voters in eastern Germany - "because there is greater dissatisfaction here and also more support for migration-related and culturally authoritarian positions". However, Jun makes it clear: "It would not be a purely eastern party." There are also opportunities for the Wagenknecht party to establish itself in West Germany.
According to the political scientist, this - "a populist party" - would definitely bring about a change in the party landscape: "For the first time, we would have a party that combines socio-economically left-wing positions with socio-culturally more right-wing positions."
He believes that successful party building is definitely feasible - "that's why Wagenknecht is trying to do this and has already been able to win over part of the former left-wing faction". However, this would require considerable financial resources as well as "fellow campaigners who try to root this party in society". In addition, an organizational structure is needed - also in the individual federal states if the party wants to run in state elections there. "Such a structure cannot be created overnight."
Wagenknecht and nine other members of the Bundestag announced their resignation from the Left Party in October in order to found a new party. This is to emerge from the already founded association "Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht". The founding date for the new party is January 8, with the founding party conference to take place on January 27.
With the departure of the Wagenknecht wing, the Left Party lost its parliamentary group status in the Bundestag. Both the remaining 28 Left Party members and the Wagenknecht MPs want to continue as a parliamentary group in the Bundestag - but recognition is still pending.
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Source: www.stern.de
