Left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht wants to fill a political void with a new party. “I feel that there are a lot of people who no longer feel represented by any party,” said the 54-year-old at a reading in Halle/Saale.
Bad election results for the left would have left a void. That gap is not good for a democracy, said Wagenknecht. “That causes people to get angry.” It’s time to create something new. “At some point I didn’t want to have to say: There was a window of time when you could have changed something and you didn’t do it.”
“Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance”
The reading from her book “The Self-Righteous. My Counter-Program – for Community Spirit and Cohesion” was Wagenknecht’s first appearance after it became known that the politician and several colleagues wanted to present the “Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance” at the federal press conference on Monday (10 a.m.). . First, a club with this name should be officially presented. It is seen as the first step towards founding one’s own Wagenknecht party.
The name of the new foundations – club and party – is only provisional, said Wagenknecht in response to a question from the audience. “For a certain transition period, it is of course important that people find this party on the ballot.”
A Wagenknecht party could combine left-wing social policy with strict asylum policy and a move away from overly harsh climate protection. The politician, who was born in Jena, Thuringia, was one of the most prominent figures on the left for decades. However, Wagenknecht has fallen out with the party on important points such as migration and climate policy. A party expulsion process is underway against her.
Party colleagues disappointed
After Wagenknecht’s plans became known on Wednesday, there was sharp criticism from the left. Party leader Janine Wissler accused Wagenknecht of an “ego trip” on the ARD “Tagesthemen” on Wednesday. Parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch told the “Tagesspiegel” that the step was no longer surprising. “It’s like your grandma who has cancer. You know she’s dying, but when the time comes, it’s sad.” The decision is irresponsible.
Wagenknecht said at the reading in Halle that she wanted to put pressure on the new company. She hopes for success and for the party to change something, “because I really have the feeling that it needs it now. It cannot and must not continue as it is now.” She is worried about where the country is heading in the future. Wagenknecht also sharply criticized the current federal government. “We have the worst government the Federal Republic has ever had.”
She had been thinking about founding a party for several months, but didn’t want to rush into anything, said Wagenknecht. “It took so long because you can’t start a party alone.” You need colleagues, a good team. “You can’t launch something like that carelessly. If you do, it has to be so good that it can be a success. And that’s what I hope now.” The left is not her political opponent. “I regret that the party is now in this state.”
