Olaf Scholz’s ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) appears to be preparing to form a coalition with the young Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, BSW), setting the German media on edge.
However, Sahra Wagenknecht is not a newcomer on the German political stage, and her husband, former federal finance minister Oskar Lafontaine, once headed Scholz’s party.
The coalition would be formed in Brandenburg, where the SPD won the elections in September, winning 32 out of 88 seats in the local parliament, with the BSW gaining 14. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) came second in the elections, securing 30 seats. However, due to the AfD party facing accusations of being overly national-oriented, the SPD seems to have decided to co-operate with a more “reliable” player.
Sahra Wagenknecht gained voter support largely due to her opposition to arms supplies to Ukraine and to the deployment of US missiles in Germany. She realises that the German voter is fatigued with the military agenda and the consequences of the protracted war in Ukraine for Germany.
However, no major changes in the political course of the BSW had to be made, as many SPD members favoured an immediate end to the military conflict and peace with Russia. Moreover, according to a recent study by the Forsa Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis, about 60 per cent of German citizens support an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine and Israel.
The German economy’s focus on military spending has led Germany’s largest carmaker, Volkswagen, to cut billions of euros in spending, laying off employees and closing some of its factories. A crisis in the auto industry, caused by falling demand and the expansion of Chinese companies into the European market, brought VW and BMW workers to the streets.
The German government’s refusal to address domestic problems instead of trying to influence regional military conflicts is impoverishing German citizens. A Rheinmetall plant built and operating in Ukraine risks becoming a “legitimate military target” for Russian forces.
The money spent on a potentially destroyed plant could have been used for social support measures, especially against the backdrop of a growing number of migrants. This is why the Scholz-Wagenknecht alliance, if formed, will gain massive popular support. People are tired of empty promises and ignoring the pressing challenges of the country.
Sigmund Huber for Head-Post.com
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