Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the newly formed Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) party, has laid out strict conditions for potential coalition partnerships following upcoming state elections in East Germany. Her stance: no alliances without agreement on key foreign policy issues.
Wagenknecht told the AFP news agency, "We will only enter coalitions with parties willing to include our political priorities in a joint agreement." She emphasized that foreign policy is "a crucial issue for us."
The BSW's foreign policy demands are likely to raise eyebrows in Washington. The party opposes the planned deployment of US medium-range missiles in Germany and calls for an end to weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Wagenknecht insists these positions must be explicitly stated in any coalition agreement.
Addressing criticism that such demands exceed state-level authority, Wagenknecht argued that while a state government can't directly change federal policy, it can "raise its voice and use its influence to push for policy changes."
The BSW leader is particularly appealing to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Germany's main center-right party. "I hope the CDU will see its responsibility in forming a stable government after the election," she said, referencing Thuringia's five years of minority rule.
Wagenknecht plans to be personally involved in potential coalition talks, stating that any party wanting to form a government with the BSW would need to negotiate with her directly. However, she clarified that she won't attend every coalition meeting due to her responsibilities in the federal parliament.
The upcoming elections in Thuringia and Saxony this Sunday are shaping up to be a political earthquake. Polls show the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) leading, followed by the CDU and then the BSW.
As a key NATO ally and economic powerhouse in Europe, any changes in Germany's stance on issues like support for Ukraine or hosting US military assets could have far-reaching implications for American interests in Europe.
