Photo: Nadja Wohlleben/Reuters
The newly formed political party “Union of Sarah Wagenknecht” (FDP) has presented its election programme for the upcoming early Bundestag elections on 23 February. According to DW, the programme, titled “Our Country Deserves More”, was almost unanimously adopted at the party congress in Bonn on 12 January.
One of the main points of the programme is a special approach to the war in Ukraine, which the SVP describes as a “proxy war between Russia and the United States”, demanding its immediate cessation without preconditions. The party also opposes the delivery of TAURUS cruise missiles to Ukraine and calls for the resumption of Russian gas supplies through Nord Stream.
In the context of international politics, the WFWP stands for an end to the war in the Middle East, an immediate cessation of arms supplies to Israel, a ceasefire and the start of two-state negotiations on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Domestic policy initiatives of the SPS include calls to combat “uncontrolled migration”, amendments to the tax system to introduce a wealth tax for assets over €25 million, and an increase in the minimum wage to €15 per hour.
The FDP’s programme has received backlash and criticism from within the party, particularly in relation to Sarah Wagenknecht’s leadership style, which has caused some members to become dissatisfied. Recent news reports indicate that two members of the Hamburg branch of the FDP have been expelled, accusing Wagenknecht of being a leader and arrogant.
It will be interesting to see whether the Sarah Wagenknecht Union will be able to cross the five per cent threshold in the Bundestag elections, as recent polls show support at 4-7 per cent.
