The new Wagenknecht party is carefully examining who it accepts as a member. In the circle of supporters, however, defending against disruptors is more difficult, says co-chair Mohamed Ali.
A few weeks before the European elections, the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) fears attempts to infiltrate the ranks of its supporters.
“We have no control over who registers with us as supporters,” said co-federal chairwoman Amira Mohamed Ali to the German Press Agency on the sidelines of an election campaign event in Berlin. “I’ve also heard rumors that people are being deliberately smuggled in there in order to disrupt us on the part of the extreme right. But we’re trying to get that under control as much as possible.”
According to the BSW, anyone who wants to become a member of the party, which was founded in January, will be carefully checked. In this way, it was possible to avoid infiltration among the members, said the party leader. However, the circle of supporters who are allowed to come to party meetings, for example, is open: you can simply register on the party website with an email address. Mohamed Ali said: “You just can’t look into people’s heads.”
Funding from Russian sources excluded
The chairwoman nevertheless ruled out any funding for the party from Russian sources. The BSW will take legal action against such suspicions. “That’s just not true, that’s just nonsense,” she said.
The BSW is critical of Western support for Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression and takes similar positions to the AfD. The AfD, in turn, is confronted with the suspicion that two of its European candidates may have accepted payments from pro-Russian sources – which those affected deny. In addition, an employee of AfD MEP Maximilian Krah was arrested last week on suspicion of spying for China.
Mohamed Ali said: “The AfD with its (suspected) Chinese spy in the ranks is extremely critical, but that has nothing to do with us, we don’t have anything like that, it doesn’t happen. “
The BSW top candidates Fabio De Masi and Thomas Geisel started a bike tour in the European election campaign from the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. According to her, the aim is to talk to voters and address their issues and needs. According to Mohamed Ali, the top issues in the election campaign are freedom of expression, fears about jobs, uncertainty about climate protection requirements when heating or driving, and the desire for peace and détente.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
