Breaking Up and Moving On in the Bundestag
St. Nicholas' Day in Germany marked the end of a separate far-left parliamentary group in the Bundestag. After Sahra Wagenknecht and nine other MPs departed from the Left Party, the Left Party parliamentary group had to disband due to insufficient numbers to operate independently.
Divide and Conquer
The MPs now needed to find their new places in the Bundestag. The 28 remaining Left Party MPs and the Wagenknecht alliance (comprising the former rebels) would form the two new groups. This move inevitably led to fewer resources, lesser parliamentary privileges, and a sense of division within the political scene.
Seat at the Table: Where to Sit?
As the St. Nicholas' Day smoke cleared, the question of where Wagenknecht and her entourage would settle post-December 6 arose. Might they join her former comrades on the far left, or perhaps the other end of the Bundestag next to the controversial AfD party?
An Unlikely Partner for Wagenknecht
Despite some similarities, Wagenknecht wants nothing to do with the AfD. ,She categorically dismissed the idea of collaborating with them in an interview with "Der Spiegel". Yet, the suggestion came from no less than the CDU party, who hoped to sway her towards the far right end of the Bundestag.
Wagenknecht: More Lazy Than Loyal
The CDU politician, Christoph de Vries, accused Wagenknecht of being one of the laziest MPs due to her frequent absences from parliamentary sessions and important votes. He was quick to criticize her, saying, "She should rather prioritize fulfilling her parliamentary duties, instead of collecting lavish lecture fees while turning her back on 'millions of hard-working people' in the country."
Coalition and Partnership Quandary
Despite the CDU's proposal, prominent left-wing politician Gregor Gysi rebuked the idea. He insisted that Wagenknecht and her alliance would not join hands with the AfD or the "Politics-inland" party in the Bundestag, as their political views were too dissimilar.
League of Like-Minded
In contrast, the newly formed Wagenknecht alliance revealed plans to align themselves with other progressive, left-wing parties rather than the far-right or nationalist parties. The outcomes of the upcoming 2025 German federal election could ultimately dictate Wagenknecht's final seating arrangements.
Sources
Enrichment Insights
- Sahra Wagenknecht and her new alliance, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), are participating in the 2025 German federal election. However, their chances of entering the Bundestag remain uncertain due to the 5% threshold required for parties to gain representation.
- Recent polls suggest that the BSW might fall short of the 5% threshold, preventing them from entering the Bundestag. Their support is stronger in eastern Germany, but their appeal is significantly weaker in western Germany.
- If the BSW fails to enter the Bundestag, a CDU/CSU-SPD-Green coalition is likely to form a three-party coalition. The BSW aligns with the CDU/CSU and AfD on certain issues, including stricter immigration policies.
- The proposed seating arrangements for Wagenknecht and her alliance would depend on the BSW's ability to cross the 5% threshold in the election and the subsequent coalition negotiations.
