Deutschlandfunk
BSW chairwoman Sahra
Wagenknecht describes the sanctions against Russia as an economic
program in favor of the USA that is causing considerable damage to
German companies. She calls for cheap energy sources and warns of the
threat of de-industrialization in Germany.
The West's sanctions
against Russia are "killing" German companies and making the US economy
rich, Sahra Wagenknecht explained on Sunday at an election event for her
party in Bonn. The delegates of the Sahra Wagenknecht - Reason and
Justice (BSW) alliance met there to adopt their program for the federal
election next month and to discuss key political demands.
In her
speech, Wagenknecht firmly rejected Russia's responsibility for the
Ukraine conflict and sharply criticized the Western sanctions, which are
not a moral instrument, but are motivated by economic policy and would
primarily benefit the USA, while causing massive damage to German and
European companies:
"The sanctions have nothing to do with
morality, they have nothing to do with human rights, they have nothing
to do with love of peace, they are simply an economic stimulus program
for the US economy and a killer program for German and European
companies."
In view of the rising energy prices, she called for
the resumption of natural gas imports from Russia. She stressed that
Germany must once again align its energy policy with the criterion of
lowest costs, instead of being guided by "double standards and
ideology". The election program was passed almost unanimously. Of the
approximately 700 delegates, only one participant voted against it, two
abstained.
Wagenknecht also spoke out in favor of only
purchasing gas from the USA if it is offered at competitive prices. She
criticized the fact that gas from the USA is currently three times as
expensive as the price paid by US companies. Germany must make rational
decisions about where it can obtain its energy resources most
cost-effectively and conclude long-term contracts, as has been the case
in the past. Otherwise, she warned, companies would stop investing in the German economy.
The BSW chairwoman also warned of the threat of de-industrialization,
which would be accompanied by a significant loss of prosperity and
social security. Instead, Germany urgently needs a political change of
course that relies on cheap energy sources in order to prevent companies
from moving away and jobs being lost. It is not about cheap election
promises, but about a realistic energy policy, emphasized Wagenknecht.
She
also sharply criticized US foreign policy, which she blamed for many
conflicts in the world. Wagenknecht spoke of a "trail of blood from the
US's proxy wars" and emphasized that Chancellor Scholz must not be a
vassal of the USA. She also criticized the discussion in German politics about increasing defense spending: "That is madness!"
In
view of the global development of nuclear weapons and increasingly
dangerous weapons systems, Wagenknecht warned urgently against a new
arms race. "We must not stumble into a new arms race now," she said. In a
world in which humanity could destroy itself several times over, war is
not a viable option. If there were to be a war in Europe, Europe would
perish, she explained, and called for an end to the "military madness."
The
Bundestag member Sevim Dağdelen also spoke at the party conference in
Bonn and called for the withdrawal of US troops from Germany. The
presence of 37,000 US soldiers was no longer sustainable for the
country. "Ami go home," she shouted to the applause of the delegates.
This also applies to US weapons on German soil.
Dağdelen
spoke out firmly against the stationing of US medium and short-range
missiles in Germany, which she described as "US offensive weapons." She
made it clear that Germany does not want a war with Russia, especially
not from German soil. These statements were received with great applause
by the delegates.
Finally, Dağdelen emphasized that the vassal loyalty of German governments to the USA must finally be ended. Germany deserves sovereignty. BSW co-chair Amira Mohamed Ali also
reiterated this position and stated that the party stands for "a strong,
fair and sovereign Germany".
The German economy is
currently in a serious crisis. According to TASS, the country's leading
economic institutes have revised their forecasts for GDP growth in 2024
downwards and are expecting a decline of 0.1 percent.
