The BSW struggles to find its place on the political spectrum.
Sahra Wagenknecht, the leader of BSW, is unwilling to label her political alignment as left or right. In a discussion with "RTL Direkt," she clarified why these categories are outdated. She also chastised her opposition for arrogance and disingenuousness and commented on problems in Germany's asylum system following the stabbing in Mannheim.
Wagenknecht believes that the different political views within BSW - left, right, and moderate - are not incompatible with each other. The BSW's core values include social fairness, traditional social policies, and "practical economic policies" for the middle class. "We won't be Typecasted into these categories," she declared. "The BSW stands for social justice, traditional social policies, and reasonable economic policies for our middle class." She stated she had no reservations about the term "Leitkultur." "Yes, I mean Leitkultur - it just means that we need specific values to keep society together. When parallel societies develop in certain milieus where the rejection and hatred of our culture are formative elements, it's not multicultural, but rather a sign that action is required."
The topic gained more attention due to the deadly knife attack in Mannheim. "How can such a person live in our country for ten years, receive support, and get money?" Wagenknecht wondered on the show. "So we've essentially funded their radicalization as well." The BSW chairwoman does not consider this a solitary occurrence. "We shouldn't cast a general aspersions on all Muslims, but Islamic terrorists have a sizable role in the rise of violent crimes in the past few years," she asserts, "and hence, it's essential to look more closely."
Her opinions towards her opposition were also unfavorable. "Left-wing politics are no longer associated with social justice," she contended. "It's arrogant politicians from relatively privileged backgrounds who wish to instruct you on how to speak, think, and eat." Her goal, on the other hand, is to safeguard the freedom of speech.
She also criticized the insensitivity of other party figures in the aftermath of the floods in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. "When the flood happens, politicians rush to the area and put on rubber shoes," she stated. "Two weeks later, they forget the people." The European parliamentary elections are Wagenknecht's party's first test. As per the current polls, the BSW is around 6% in these elections. On election night, Nikolaus Blome, head of RTL/ntv's political department, will analyze the results alongside Wagenknecht and the other party leaders at 8:15 p.m. (live stream is also available on ntv.de).
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The BSW, led by Sahra Wagenknecht, is critical of governments and parties that fail to adequately address the issue of deportation, as seen in her remarks about the Mannheim stabbing incident. In the context of the European elections, Wagenknecht's party, the BSW, aligns itself with "The Left" in their stance on addressing the role of Islamic extremists in violent crimes.
