In the wake of reports of party departures from the “Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance”, the BSW’s Vice, Klaus Ernst, has downplayed the significance of the exits. “Departures are completely normal in a party as young as ours” he told the “Handelsblatt” (Friday edition).
Prior to this, it was reported that six Bayern-based BSW members had left the party due to the BSW’s voting with the AfD in the Bundestag. “We will be taking in 30 new members in the coming weeks – we have over 1,000 unprocessed membership applications, just in Bayern alone” Ernst commented.
On Thursday, EU Member of Parliament Friedrich Pürner also left the party, a doctor known primarily for his criticism of the Corona policy. Ernst expressed regret, but added, “We have others who will take up the criticism of the Corona policy instead of him.”
Ernst assured that the BSW will “continue to make its decisions on the content of laws, not on whether the AfD agrees with it. What would happen, for instance, if we submitted a proposal for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, would we have to withdraw it if the AfD supports it?” he asked.