Far-Left Rebel Seeking Peace with Putin Shakes German Politics

AFP/APP

Germany: A radical far-left politician, Sahra Wagenknecht, who advocates for peace negotiations with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, is poised to play a significant role in regional elections in former East Germany on Sunday.

Wagenknecht, 55, originally from communist East Germany with an Iranian father and a German mother, broke away from the far-left Die Linke party last year to form her own party, BSW. She has stirred controversy in Germany by calling for negotiations with Putin, an end to the government’s support for Ukraine, and a strict crackdown on immigration.

Despite the controversy, BSW made a notable impact by securing 6.2 percent of the vote in June’s European Union elections and is expected to gain between 15 and 20 percent in Sunday’s elections in Saxony and Thuringia.

At a rally in her hometown of Jena, Wagenknecht spoke passionately about her upbringing in East Germany and expressed concerns over the resurgence of nuclear fears in Europe. “Now the fear is back,” she stated. BSW opposes weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the stationing of long-range US missiles in Germany.

Wagenknecht also called for stricter immigration laws, referencing a recent incident in Solingen where a Syrian man allegedly killed three people. She emphasized that BSW seeks to reverse the current government’s immigration policy, arguing that Germany cannot accommodate the entire world.

Kingmaker?

Opinion polls suggest that the far-right AfD will be the largest party in Thuringia with around 30 percent of the vote, while in Saxony, it is neck-and-neck with the conservative CDU. However, despite these leads, the AfD is unlikely to gain power, as other parties have ruled out forming coalitions with it. This could result in mainstream parties scrambling to form ruling coalitions, with Wagenknecht’s party potentially emerging as a kingmaker.

Wagenknecht told AFP that the upcoming elections are “very important” for her party. A strong showing could solidify BSW as a significant political force, potentially influencing future coalitions in Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony, and even making its way into the national parliament next year.

Controversial Stance

While Wagenknecht acknowledged that “Putin started a war contrary to international law,” she also emphasized that the West bears some responsibility for the conflict, suggesting that it could have been avoided by taking Russia’s security concerns seriously. She dismissed allegations of spreading pro-Russian misinformation, calling such accusations “shameful.”

On immigration, Wagenknecht pointed to Denmark’s restrictive policies as a model for Germany, advocating for stricter measures to reduce immigration. Despite some similarities between BSW’s positions and those of the AfD, Wagenknecht ruled out any collaboration with the far-right party, criticizing its “ethnic nationalist ideology.”

At the rally in Jena, Margit Hoffmann, an 83-year-old retired nurse, expressed her support for Wagenknecht’s peace-focused stance, arguing that German funds should be directed toward other needs rather than weapons deliveries.