German Politician Sahra Wagenknecht sits down during the presentation of the party 'Buendnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) - fuer Vernunft und Gerechtigkeit' (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance - Reason and Fairness) at the Federal Press Conference in Berlin, Germany, Jan 8, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

BERLIN - Germany's political landscape has seen the birth of a new left-wing party this week, with the founding of the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) on Monday. The party is set to run in four elections this year, starting with the European elections at the beginning of June.

As an alternative to the governing and opposition parties, the new party has split off from the Left Party (Die Linke). BSW is co-chaired by Sahra Wagenknecht and Amira Mohamed Ali, and will compete in three state elections in eastern Germany later in the year.

Although anyone who is politically persecuted in their home country is entitled to asylum in Germany, "migration is not the solution to the problem of poverty in our world”, the BSW's manifesto states

The BSW will set up expert councils to determine its policies, Wagenknecht said at a press conference.

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The new party is advocating for a rapprochement with Russia. BSW rejects European sanctions against Russia, as well as arms deliveries to Ukraine. "The Russians were ready to end the war in spring 2022 when it had barely begun, if Ukraine had committed to not joining NATO”, Wagenknecht said in a recent YouTube video.

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Regarding domestic issues, the party wants to impose higher taxes on the rich, while also limiting migration. Although anyone who is politically persecuted in their home country is entitled to asylum in Germany, "migration is not the solution to the problem of poverty in our world”, the BSW's manifesto states.

"Instead, we need fair global economic relations and a policy that strives for more prospects in the home countries”, it noted.

Alongside mobilizing left-wing voters, experts see the greatest potential in attracting voters from the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is also in favor of rapprochement with Russia and curbing migration.

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While a third of Germans welcome the formation of a party under Wagenknecht's leadership, the figure among AfD voters is almost two-thirds, according to a survey published by public broadcaster ARD in November 2023.

However, the BSW has ruled out direct membership transfers from the AfD to the BSW, and intends to closely check the ideologies of future members.