Party Congress clearly rejects Wagenknecht's proposal on Russia

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Sarah Wagenknecht

Photo: Klaus W. Schmidt / IMAGO

Ex-group leader Sahra Wagenknecht and her followers failed very clearly at the Left Party Congress on the subject of Russia.

In an amendment, the so-called Wagenknechts within the party had tried to change the main foreign policy proposal significantly.

For example, the sentence "We strongly condemn Russia's criminal war of aggression" should be deleted.

The group behind the motion also wanted to see formulations on Russia's "imperialist policy" and "nationalist, militaristic and autocratic great power ideology" deleted.

Although the Wagenknecht group also described the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as "violating international law", it added important points, such as criticism of NATO and the USA.

At first they even wanted to delete a crucial passage on the declaration of solidarity with Ukraine.

A motion to scrap the entire draft of the party leadership went in a similar direction.

Here, for example, sanctions against Russia were very clearly rejected.

It was introduced with an emotional speech by EU MP Özlem Demirel.

The counter-speech was held by the incumbent party leader Janine Wissler personally and was able to win the decision.

According to Wissler, the war is criminal and that must be clearly stated.

Here, too, the party leadership was able to assert itself.

Wagenknecht send Pellmann into the race

There are still important decisions to be made at the party conference in the Erfurt Exhibition Center on Saturday.

For example, the party leadership is re-elected.

Wissler and Heidi Reichinnek, Member of the Bundestag from Lower Saxony, appear on Frauenplatz.

The Wagenknecht camp sent the Saxon member of the Bundestag Sören Pellmann into the race for the men's post, but he recently distanced himself from their foreign policy positions.

The EU parliamentary group leader, Martin Schirdewan, also takes up the post.

The result is expected in the late afternoon.

Wagenknecht himself is not present at the party congress for health reasons, but has a few representatives among the delegates.

Most recently, in interviews, she left open whether she would leave the party if she didn't get her way at the party congress.

She spoke of the fact that the party congress was "probably" "the last chance" to lead the Left to success again.

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