State elections - Start of "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" unclear
According to party chairwoman Amira Mohamed Ali, it is not yet clear whether the " Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" will run in all state elections next year after the party is founded.
According to initial polls, a good result in the elections in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg is certainly possible, Mohamed Ali told the German Press Agency during a visit to her constituency in Oldenburg. "But to achieve this, we need to establish state associations, have a strong list of candidates and be able to finance a good election campaign." Whether this will succeed in all three federal states is questionable.
European elections are important
In order to build up the party, it is important to run in the European elections in June. However, donations are still lacking, said the former parliamentary group leader of the Left Party in the Bundestag. The association has collected 1.2 million euros so far. "We can use the money to finance the foundation, the first party conference and the initial structures. That's not enough for the European election campaign." The alliance is hoping for further donations when the party is founded at the beginning of the year.
Long-time Left Party politician Sahra Wagenknecht left the party in October with nine members of the Bundestag to found a rival project. Initially organized as an association, the "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" is to formally become a party on 8 January.
There is currently a large representation gap in the parliaments, said Mohamed Ali. Many voters do not feel that their concerns and views are represented. The new party would like to offer an alternative, especially to people who vote on the right out of protest. The 43-year-old announced that they are also working on a strategy to win over non-voters.
New approaches
Wagenknecht had announced that she did not want to become party leader herself and brought Mohamed Ali into play. If the latter is elected to lead the party together with Wagenknecht, she said she would like to campaign against the privatization of the healthcare system.
New approaches are also needed in education and migration policy. "It is not a solution to the shortage of skilled workers to focus solely on migration," said the MP from Oldenburg. There are tens of thousands of young people in Germany without a school-leaving certificate. "We need to train children and young people who grow up here properly and qualify them for the job market. That should be our priority."
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- Despite Amira Mohamed Ali's uncertainty, the newly formed "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" is aiming to participate in all state elections next year after its official establishment.
- Mohamed Ali emphasized during a visit to Oldenburg that strong state associations, a robust list of candidates, and sufficient funding for a competitive election campaign are necessary to achieve good results in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg.
- The European elections in June are considered crucial for the party's development, according to the former leader of the Left Party in the Bundestag, despite the limited funds currently available.
- Sahra Wagenknecht, together with nine Bundestag Members, left the Left Party in October to create a rival project, initially established as an association.
- The "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" is set to officially transform into a party on January 8, aiming to gain momentum for further donations during the party's founding.
- Mohamed Ali pointed out the significant representation gap in parliaments, explaining that the new party aims to provide an alternative for voters who feel unrepresented, especially those voting right out of protest.
- Wagenknecht announced that Amira Mohamed Ali would be her potential co-leader, indicating a focus on campaigning against healthcare system privatization if elected to join her in leading the party.
- The alliance is proposing innovative approaches in areas like education and migration policy, with Mohamed Ali advocating for training indigenous youth and skills development rather than solely relying on immigrant labor to address the skilled labor shortage.
- While the speculations surrounding the "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" and its participation in state and European elections are ongoing, parties in Lower Saxony, Thuringia, and other regions are also preparing for upcoming state elections, including the current Government in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
