The proposed appointment of Oliver Ruhnert, a highly successful football manager, as General Secretary of the populist “Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht” (BSW) is generating significant political discourse, marked by surprising endorsements and underlying anxieties. Paul Ziemiak, General Secretary of the North Rhine-Westphalia branch of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has publicly voiced his support for Ruhnert, arguing that the necessary skillset for the role – strategic thinking, analysis and adaptability – mirrors those required in elite football management.
Ziemiak’s endorsement, however, is tinged with palpable discomfort. While he praises Ruhnert’s pragmatism and strategic acumen – characterizing him as a “conviction-driven” figure and “not an ideologue” – he acknowledges that BSW represents a different, more problematic arena. He highlights the inherent challenges of aligning with a party he describes as “populist” noting its “dangerous foreign policy course” and a perceived cult of personality around Sahra Wagenknecht. He suggested a cognitive dissonance between Ruhnert’s demonstrated rationality and BSW’s ideological leanings, wryly questioning whether Ruhnert’s political instincts were ever truly aligned with the Left party he previously joined.
The connection between Ziemiak and Ruhnert is rooted in their shared experience in local politics in Iserlohn, North Rhine-Westphalia, where they served together on the city council – Ziemiak representing the CDU and Ruhnert the Left. This pre-existing relationship underscores the unusual nature of the endorsement, potentially a strategic attempt by the CDU to signal engagement with a rising political force.
Ruhnert’s decision to abandon his career in professional football, where he orchestrated a remarkable ascent for 1. FC Union Berlin from the second division to the Champions League, to dedicate himself to BSW, raises questions about his motivations and the potential influence he intends to exert within the party. While BSW’s near-miss in the 2021 federal election, falling just short of the 5% threshold, demonstrated a level of public resonance, the alliance’s policies and rhetoric continue to draw scrutiny, particularly regarding its stance on international relations. The risk for Ruhnert, as acknowledged by Ziemiak, is that this political endeavor proves significantly more challenging than navigating the complexities of professional football and that his reputation may ultimately suffer.