Brandenburg Redefined: Breaking New Grounds - Party leadership chosen as BSW readies for state elections
The up-and-coming party, Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), is gearing up for the Brandenburg state elections, set to take place in four months, with Robert Crumbach at the helm. The 61-year-old, a labor judge and ex-SPD member, garnered almost 97% approval from party members during his election as state chairman in Schwedt. Previously, a state association of BSW Brandenburg was established, adding to the other three associations in Thuringia, Saxony, and Saarland. Stefan Roth, who previously worked for the Left Party, is the state director.
"We're all set to soar in Brandenburg. The formation of the state association is just another stride towards settling the party on a national scale," said BSW national chairwoman Amira Mohamed Ali, who attended the association's inauguration in Schwedt. The party aspires to provide voters with an option other than the "traffic light" parties and the CDU and AfD. "We do our own thing and don't look at others," remarked Crumbach. Preliminary election polls suggest the party could surpass the 5% threshold and join the state parliament right away.
BSW can't afford to delay any longer; the fledgling party, which has 36 members in Brandenburg, must gather at least 2,000 signatures by August 5 to be eligible for the elections. They also need to come up with an election manifesto and a state list of candidates for a parliamentary seat, which is a significant undertaking. Crumbach showcased his confidence in the party's ability to complete these tasks. "We have over 1,000 supporters already, so there will be many who want to become members eventually," he said.
If elections were held on that very same day, the BSW would secure 13% of the vote, according to a survey conducted by the Insa Institute for the "Märkische Allgemeine," "Märkische Oderzeitung," and "Lausitzer Rundschau." Crumbach considered the result inspiring but warned against overreliance on surveys.
Crumbach shared that the party aims to focus on policies that address people's needs. He is a judge at the labor court in Brandenburg/Havel and took a leave of absence from June to the end of September to focus on the party structure and election preparations. The state executive committee comprised nine individuals, of whom three were women.
Mohamed Ali, the national chairwoman of BSW, stated that the party is rapidly gaining popularity and has drawn in members from across societies. Key issues include education, housing, health, and energy policy. Mohamed Ali also mentioned the PCK oil refinery in Schwedt, whose future is still undecided. "Peace policy will significantly feature in our election campaign," she added.
The BSW's state campaign in Brandenburg may not be as extensive as others, due to the party's relative youth. Mohamed Ali acknowledged, "We can't set up campaign stands everywhere just yet." BSW was founded as a federal party in January around former left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht.
Brandenburg's CDU leader, Jan Redmann, remained unfazed by BSW's potential participation in the state elections. "I believe as the BSW gradually develops in terms of personnel and content, its polls will decline," said Redmann. He characterized the BSW as a projector screen for various individuals - "almost like a wish box."
The CDU of Brandenburg finalized their election program on Saturday. Meanwhile, based on the new Insa poll, the SPD and CDU are tied in third place behind the AfD, which currently enjoys 25% support. The SPD and CDU would both gather 19% of the votes if elections were held then.
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Source: www.stern.de