In a move that has garnered attention, the Left Party’s chair, Sahra Wagenknecht, has expressed support for a manifesto signed by a group of SPD politicians, calling for a shift in the country’s foreign policy. Wagenknecht praised the initiative, stating that it is a “dringend notwendige Initiative” or a pressing necessity and that it is good that there are still SPD politicians who have not forgotten the legacy of Willy Brandt.
The Left Party’s chair also commended the signatories for criticizing the planned deployment of US intermediate-range missiles in Germany, which can still be prevented. Wagenknecht extended an offer of cooperation to the signatories, suggesting that all forces in Germany that consider the war course of Merz and Klingbeil to be dangerous should now work together without reservation to reactivate a strong peace movement. The Left Party, she said, is willing to participate in such cooperation.
Meanwhile, former SPD chairman Norbert Walter-Borjans has defended the controversial and widely-criticized manifesto, which he co-authored, against accusations of naivety in its approach to Russia. Walter-Borjns argued that the criticism is based on a misrepresentation of the manifesto, which does not solely rely on verbal offers to solve problems. He acknowledged that Putin shows little inclination to engage in dialogue, but emphasized that the signatories do not overlook the threat that looms if every opportunity for dialogue is dismissed and the solution is instead sought in an unlimited arms race.
Walter-Borjns emphasized that the goal is to support Ukraine in its right to defense while simultaneously urging continued dialogue, including a solid basis for ensuring that agreements are upheld by both parties. He concluded that the concern is not only about supporting Ukraine, but also about the arms race that is unfolding in Germany, with a growing share of the country’s economic output being allocated to military spending and a limitless pursuit of arms financing.