Sahra Wagenknecht, chairwoman of the BSW party, has accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of contributing to rising unemployment through a “policy of broken election promises.
Speaking to the Welt newspaper, Wagenknecht characterized over three million unemployed individuals as a “miserable report card” for the Chancellor. She asserted that the current coalition – referencing the CDU/CSU and their partners – is continuing the economic downturn initially experienced under the previous ‘traffic light’ coalition government. Wagenknecht coined the term “Merzession” to describe the current economic situation in Germany.
The auto industry alone, she stated, has shed over 50,000 jobs within a year. Wagenknecht argued that the rise in unemployment signifies a deepening deindustrialization, attributing this primarily to political factors. She emphasized the need for significantly lower energy prices, contending that recent price increases are a consequence of a “self-destructive, ideologically rigid sanctions and energy policy” which she believes is detrimental to both peace and climate goals.
Wagenknecht criticized the current federal government for failing to deliver on promises. She specifically pointed to pre-election pledges by the CDU and CSU to repeal the planned ban on internal combustion engine vehicles, stating that a “policy of broken election promises” will not restore Germany to a leading position.