BSW leader makes public declaration of retirements from politics
Saxon BSW Leader Sabine Zimmermann Steps Down Due to Illness
In a surprising turn of events, Sabine Zimmermann, the leader of the Saxon BSW faction and the third-largest group in the state parliament, has announced her withdrawal from politics. Zimmermann's decision is due to a serious illness at the beginning of the year.
Zimmermann, a professional plant engineer and building materials technologist, has been a significant figure in Saxon politics. She joined the Saxon state parliament for a short time in 2004 and entered the Bundestag in the following year. Her tenure saw her become the spokesperson for labor market policy and chair various committees, including work and social affairs, family, seniors, women, and youth.
Her illness has taken a toll on her, with Zimmermann stating that it has shown her her limits and has taken a lot of her strength. She has already withdrawn from the party executive board due to her illness.
The BSW, which came out of nowhere with 11.8 percent in the state election last year, has elected Kupke and Scheibe as the new party executive board at their state conference in Bautzen. The newly elected state party chairman and co-chairman have stated they will work closely with Zimmermann and the federal party to find a sustainable solution for the state parliament faction in the interest of the citizens.
The vacant seat in the state parliament will be filled according to the election law by a candidate from the BSW's state list from the election in September 2024. The successor to lead the faction in the future has not been determined yet.
Zimmermann's departure from politics was not without its controversies. A coalition with CDU and SPD failed to materialize due to broken negotiations in exploratory talks, with disagreements on topics including war and peace, financial policy, and migration. Marcel Machill, former advisor to the state association and Leipzig journalism professor, resigned shortly after the party conference.
Zimmermann, however, expressed confidence in her party's ability to continue giving a voice to those not taken into account by ruling politics in Saxony. She wished her party all the best and thanked them for everything she has done for the party. The BSW, in turn, expressed their well-wishes to Zimmermann and thanked her for her service.
An outlook on the further alignment of the faction was announced before a press conference in the state parliament, but much has changed since then. The faction spokeswoman, Ines Schwarze, stated that more information about the successor will be provided later.
Meanwhile, in Rheinland-Pfalz, Andreas Hartenfels is expected to take over the leadership of the BSW faction in the state parliament. Hartenfels was nominated as the Spitzenkandidat at a party conference in Kaiserslautern and is the first BSW representative in a Flächenbundesland. He was previously a non-affiliated member of the state parliament after his exit from the Greens.
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