The German populist party Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), founded by the former far-left leader of the same name, is campaigning in next year’s federal elections on a platform of social measures such as rent freezes and higher pensions.
The party, which combines traditional left-wing social policies with an anti-migrant stance and pro-Russian leanings, also demands “fair ceasefire efforts” in the war in Ukraine and an end to German arms shipments, an eight-page pageant shows. manifesto seen by dpa.
Germany is expected to go to the polls on February 23, following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centre-left governing coalition.
Parties set out their election manifestos after the Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, withdrew its confidence in Scholz on Monday, in an orchestrated move towards early elections.
The BSW wants to freeze rent increases until 2030 in all regions ‘where the housing market has demonstrably exceeded incomes’.
Housing shortages are an urgent problem in many German cities, where few new homes are being built. According to a recent analysis by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), rents will increase by 4% in 2024.
The BSW’s mini-manifesto also calls for a minimum pension of €1,500 ($1,565) after 40 years of contributing to the system, as well as the abolition of additional contributions to statutory health insurance.
Other measures include the introduction of citizen health insurance to which everyone contributes. Currently, private and state health care coexist.
The BSW advocates a tax exemption on pensions up to €2,000 per month and a statutory minimum wage of €15.
The party is also seeking the reversal of controversial laws aimed at switching the country to renewable heating sources and banning combustion car engines.
She wants asylum seekers to be housed in safe countries outside the European Union while their applications are processed.
Wagenknecht’s party, founded in January, is opposed to further EU expansion and also excludes Ukraine’s membership.
The upstart party, which recently joined the government of two East German states, is polling at 5%, the threshold for joining the Bundestag.
