As the German federal election draws near, the Left Party (Die Linke) has raised doubts about the purpose of the government’s special envoys and is calling for cost-cutting measures in this area.
According to an interview with party co-chair Sahra Wagenknecht in the Rheinische Post, the “wild growth” of special envoys must come to an end after the election. “More than 40 envoys have been appointed by the coalition, along with a lot of expensive personnel. This unnecessary burden on taxpayers must be stopped” Wagenknecht said.
She criticized the envoys, stating, “These are often mere placeholder positions that only adorn the letterhead, but do not achieve anything. And others, like the anti-discrimination envoy, actually split the community rather than bringing about positive change.” Wagenknecht also questioned the legitimacy of the East Envoy, citing that his legitimacy is solely based on an annual report on unity, which has little to do with reality. “Where meaningful future topics are being addressed, these should be integrated into the structures of the ministries” she emphasized.