Sahra Wagenknecht speaks plainly about AfD cooperation: “You can’t form a coalition with these people,” says the BSW boss ahead of the state elections in the east.
BSW boss Sahra Wagenknecht has clearly rejected alliances with the AfD ahead of the upcoming state elections in eastern Germany – but reserves the right to agree to AfD proposals. She “naturally” rules out coalitions with the AfD, she told the AFP news agency. “Because the AfD unfortunately has a very strong right-wing radical, right-wing extremist wing that dominates especially in the east.”
Wagenknecht stressed: “You cannot form a coalition with these people, they are people who adhere to a nationalist ideology.” They are “unacceptable to the vast majority of the population as a governing party.”
Sahra Wagenknecht does not rule out cooperation with AfD in principle
However, the party leader did not rule out cooperation on individual legislative proposals. The BSW cannot clarify whether the AfD will agree to the bill before it is submitted. “Of course the AfD is free to agree to our proposals,” Wagenknecht told AFP. “And we will also look at the content of AfD proposals and only vote against them if there are reasons to vote against them.”
The Bundestag member added: “And when the AfD proposes something sensible, it is impossible to convince voters that everyone will vote against it.” Her party no longer wants to simply vote against AfD legislative proposals – “this has only made the AfD stronger and stronger.”
At the same time, Wagenknecht emphasized differences with the far-right party. She was surprised that the question of commonalities with the AfD “is always only asked of us”; it could also be asked of all other parties. In economic and financial policy, for example, there are great similarities between the CDU, the FDP and the AfD.
State elections in the East: AfD “a total failure on social issues”
The AfD is against higher taxes on the upper class, rent regulation and a higher minimum wage, explained the BSW boss. “The AfD is a total failure on all of these social issues and is more in line with parties like the CDU and FDP – that is their program.” Wagenknecht therefore sees “big differences” between the BSW and the AfD here.
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According to the party leader, there is another difference on the subject of “armament”. The AfD supports the NATO goal that Germany should spend two percent of its economic output on defense, but even considers this to be insufficient. “That is a position that is really very far removed from ours.”
In Thuringia and Saxony, new state parliaments will be elected on Sunday. In both states, the AfD is leading in the polls, followed by the CDU and then the BSW.
Source: Stern
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