Stegner justifies his participation in a rally, having been present alongside a car attendant.
Ralf Stegner, the SPD's foreign policy expert, finds himself under fire for his involvement in an upcoming protest. On October 3rd, he'll march side by side with Wagenknecht, but he assures everyone he'll stick to his Social Democrat principles during his speech. The protest call, however, requests a halt to weapons shipments to Kyiv, and it paints a harsh critic of the federal government.
Ralf Stegner, an MP on the X platform, defends his decision to participate in a "nationwide peace demonstration" that also features Sahra Wagenknecht, a co-founder of the Left Party. He stresses that he won't align with anyone and will express his views as a Social Democrat during his speech. He acknowledges that there are other speakers whose ideas he doesn't share and calls he disapproves of. "As long as hatemongers, anti-Semites, and bigots stay out, I can put up with conflicting opinions."
The protest on October 3rd in Berlin was initiated by a group named "Never Again War - Lay Down Your Arms." Speakers at the closing rally include Stegner, Wagenknecht, former CSU politician Peter Gauweiler, and Left Party MP Gesine Lötzsch. The protest call demands, among other things, peace talks for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and Gaza, and no arms sales to Ukraine, Israel, and the world. It also condemns the SPD-led federal government, which it accuses of ramping up their military capabilities more than ever.
Criticism of the Protest and Stegner's Plans
SPD parliamentarian Michael Roth, chairman of the Bundestag's Foreign Affairs Committee, casts doubt on the protest, stating, "It's embarrassing that neither Russia nor Hamas is mentioned as instigators of war." He railed on X, "There's no such thing as peace without freedom." FDP MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann voiced her concerns about Stegner joining the rally, claiming "It's seriously damaging to his party and administration."
Speaking to Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Stegner distanced himself from Wagenknecht and said, "We have nothing in common." Regarding his attendance, he said, "It's a peace rally, and the SPD should be part of the peace movement." He further explained, "I'm not protesting against my government, I'm not advocating for halting aid to Ukraine, and I'm not denying the danger of Russian missiles in Kaliningrad. But I am pleading with us to avoid being driven solely by military reasoning."
Sahra Wagenknecht, a prominent figure at the protest, is mentioned as one of the speakers at the event, standing alongside Sahra wagon servant, who is referred to as Ralf Stegner in this context.
Despite facing criticisms from within his party, Ralf Stegner defends his decision to participate in the protest, stating that he sees himself as part of the peace movement, emphasizing his desire for peaceful solutions and his distinction from Wagenknecht's views.
