Saxony-Anhalt election: Wagenknecht calls for a “political fresh start” in Magdeburg

Sahra Wagenknecht says the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht is on the way back after narrowly clearing the five-percent threshold in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election.

“

Now there will hopefully be majorities in the Magdeburg state parliament for a change in energy policy, an end to the sanctions against Russia, better education and a fundamental reform of public broadcasting.

The BSW founder called for a “political fresh start” in Magdeburg and said she hoped the new state parliament would produce majorities for a change in energy policy, an end to sanctions against Russia, better education and a fundamental reform of public broadcasting. “The BSW wants to use these majorities to improve people’s lives,” she told the German Press Agency.

The preliminary result means the AfD, despite winning the election, does not hold an absolute majority of seats on its own. The next governing model remains open. Wagenknecht has ruled out a coalition with the AfD, but not cooperation with it.

“

The BSW comeback has begun.

“The losing CDU must be replaced,” she said, adding that firewall politics had failed. She called any attempt to form another firewall coalition an affront to voters. Wagenknecht said she was highly satisfied with a result that exceeded recent opinion polls. “The BSW comeback has begun,” she said, describing the party’s entry into parliament as an important signal at a time of growing danger of war.

“

The losing CDU must be replaced.

She said the result would encourage BSW campaigners in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. Wagenknecht also accused the political and media mainstream of conducting a “massive smear and lies campaign” against the party, and alleged that former BSW colleagues in Thuringia had sought to cause maximum damage by leaving the party the previous week.

“

The firewall policy has failed.