State election - Wagenknecht party attacks SPD in Brandenburg
The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht enters the SPD's campaign in the Brandenburg state elections with a battle cry against Minister-President Dietmar Woidke. The SPD-led state government, which has been in power continuously for nearly 34 years, has neglected its most important tasks in recent years, leaving many citizens unhappy and frustrated, according to the BSW election program. A party conference in Potsdam adopted the paper over the weekend and selected 30 female and male candidates for the Landtag - enough for more than a third of the seats. Robert Crumbach, BSW state leader, promises a future state politics with comprehensive state services. This includes: affordable housing, better care services, the retention of all clinics in Brandenburg, more teachers, free school meals, free kindergartens, investments in roads and rail, and a better financial allocation for municipalities. "Ignoring problems must stop," Crumbach said. The coal phase-out agreement for 2038 in Lusatia will only be achieved if the structural change really succeeds there.
The Promise: More State Services
Crumbach promised a future state politics with extensive state services. He listed: affordable housing, better care services, retention of all clinics in Brandenburg, more teachers, free school meals, free kindergartens, investments in roads and rail, and a better financial allocation for municipalities. "Ignoring problems must stop," Crumbach said. The coal phase-out agreement for 2038 in Lusatia will only be achieved if the structural change really succeeds there.
In the more than 60-page strong BSW election program, there are many other demands. These include a "stop to uncontrolled migration," a gender ban in schools and administration, a cell phone ban in elementary schools, and the rejection of Tempo 120 on highways. It also states: "To protect citizens from surveillance and manipulation, we advocate for a limitation of the powers of the Constitutional Protection Agency." Public-law broadcasting should no longer receive money.
The BSW's Topic: Peace in Ukraine
Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht spoke primarily about federal political goals and the topic of peace at the party conference. Ukraine should be encouraged to negotiate with Russia and western sanctions against Russia should be lifted to import Russian gas and oil directly again. "Clearly, we in Brandenburg will not end the Ukraine war," Wagenknecht said. But every vote for the BSW is "a vote for peace and diplomacy."
Wagenknecht criticized the traffic light coalition in the Federal Government for "completely wrong decisions" and "damned lies." The rulers have no connection to the population. "I believe that the older among us, and I am one of them, can remember the final days of the GDR in a way. And I have to say, it really feels that way again. So without equating it."
The Coalition Question: Open
Wagenknecht also called the Union the "worst opposition." She referred to statements from the CDU about supplying Ukraine with extensive weapons. Attacks on SPD, Greens, FDP, CDU/CSU, and a rejection of the AfD: With whom would the BSW then achieve its goals? Wagenknecht left it open. "The differences between the CDU and SPD at the state level are not that huge," she said on the sidelines of the party conference. "The question is, which one moves in our direction here."
The question of how the additional promised services would be funded was not answered explicitly by Wagenknecht. "Have a look at the erroneous sums now being spent on weapons deliveries to Ukraine," she said. "There is a lot of savings potential here." With the debt brake, she demanded exceptions for investments, particularly in the healthcare sector and restructuring.
The local branch: small
The former Left politician had founded the BSW in January. The BSW-State Association Brandenburg has existed since May. According to party statements, it has approximately 40 members. In Potsdam, about 30 voting members were present, who in turn nominated 30 female and male candidates for the Landtag with 88 seats. Some were reportedly contacted very last minute. "I only found out about it yesterday," said Corinna Luethje, List place 20. Torsten Koch, List place 26, admitted, "I had no idea about politics, but I didn't hesitate when the call came last night."
Behind Crumbach is in second place the doctor Jouleen Gruhn, in third place the Secretary General of the BSW-State Association, Stefan Roth. Following are the lawyer Niels-Olaf Luers and the labor judge André von Ossowski. In the European election, the BSW in Brandenburg received 13.8% of the votes.
- The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance is joining the SPD's state election campaign in Brandenburg, declaring a war against Minister-President Dietmar Woidke due to the neglect of key tasks by the SPD-led government in recent years.
- According to the BSW's election program, many citizens have expressed unhappiness and frustration due to the government's actions, providing a basis for the Alliance's declaration of war.
- In a weekend party conference in Potsdam, the Alliance selected 30 female and male candidates for the Landtag, aiming to secure more than a third of the seats in the state election campaign.
- Robert Crumbach, the BSW state leader, emphasizes the need for a future state politics with comprehensive state services, such as affordable housing, better care services, and a better financial allocation for municipalities.
- Sahra Wagenknecht, the founder of the BSW, focused on federal political goals and the topic of peace at the party conference, emphasizing the need to encourage Ukraine to negotiate with Russia and lift western sanctions.
- In the more than 60-page strong BSW election program, there are several demands, including a stop to uncontrolled migration, a gender ban in schools, and the rejection of Tempo 120 on highways.
- Wagenknecht criticized the traffic light coalition for wrong decisions and lies, suggesting that the coalition's policies are out of touch with the population and recalling the final days of the GDR.
- The question of which party the BSW would form a coalition with in the state election remained unanswered by Wagenknecht, as the differences between the SPD and CDU at the state level are not significant enough to decide on an immediate alliance.
- Wagenknecht argued that the funds for the additional promised services could be found by reducing spending on weapons deliveries to Ukraine, suggesting that savings could be made in this area.
- The BSW has a relatively small local branch, with approximately 40 members and fewer voting members present at the party conference in Potsdam, where 30 female and male candidates were nominated for the Landtag election.
