Already the BSW has created a big furore I among the German working people and the educated middle class. There is a big rush for becoming members’ Latest opinion poll before the convention shows that 14 per cent of the German voters like BSW as against 3 per cent for the parent Party De Linke. This figure is quite when compared to the German Social Democrats coalition partners Green Party 8 per cent and Free Democrats 4 per cent. In fact BSW’s voting intention figure equals that of the ruling Social Democrats.

What is specially significant is that the new party BSW has been formed with the participation of 10 members of Parliament, belonging to the parent party and BSW has taken up seriously its campaign for its candidates for the European Parliament elections in June this year. The EP elections are crucial for Europe since the far right parties throughout Europe have planned to get majority in the elections to EP this year so that they can go ahead with all their anti-immigrants programmes through the new Parliament. BSW is determined to combat the challenge of the far right AFD within Germany.

BSW’s main dividing line from Die Linke has been on peace — Wagenknecht’s outspoken opposition to NATO’s approach to the Ukraine war, which included pointing out that EU sanctions on Russia have done far more damage to Germany than to Russia itself, saw her smeared by colleagues as a Putin apologist. The success of her manifesto for peace, launched with German feminist Alice Schwarzer and attracting hundreds of thousands of signatures, only enraged them more.

According to BSW leaders, German people are fed up with the government’s foreign policy. And on foreign policy there is no real opposition in Parliament— BSW is the only political group which is against this toxic mix of weapons delivery, sanctions and armament, so they are fed up with the policies of the other parties as well.”

Though the far-right Alternative for Germany has posed as a peace party, BSW leaders say that. AFD is for drone wars and opposed to ceasefire in Gaza. They are in favour of military interventions abroad. They are in favour of NATO membership, and even the requirement to spend 2 per cent of GDP on the military. The foreign policy of the AfD and the other parties is actually almost the same, BSW points out.

The German government has banned Palestine solidarity demonstrations and brandished its pro-Israel credentials, but BSW says this doesn’t reflect German opinion, citing a recent poll from public broadcaster ZDF that showed 61 per cent believe Israel’s military operation in Gaza is “not justified,” compared to just 25 per cent who responded that it was.

BSW leaders are scathing too about Berlin’s intervention in favour of Israel at the International Court of Justice, where it is battling South Africa’s charge of genocide. BSW leaders maintain that BSW is the only party in German Parliament calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The party also has demanded the stoppage of weapons supply to Israel. BSW is firm in leading the anti war demonstrations in the cities of Germany including Berlin and these will be intensified in the coming days.

The “traffic light” coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats has scrambled to cut spending in almost all sectors (the military remains an exception) since. Cuts to tax exemptions and agricultural subsidies have provoked a mass farmers’ protest movement: the roads of Berlin were blocked last week by lines of tractors, and farmers’ banners and placards blamed their plight squarely on the coalition: The people are suffering because of the rise in energy prices, food prices. The living conditions of the common people in Germany have deteriorated.

Political observers in Berlin say that the BSW is getting the support base of both the parent party De Linke and the far right AFD. Many low paid German workers earlier supported AFD. Many of ten have switched over to BSW after seeing their programme for the interests of the German labour. If the BSW is able to erode a substantial base of AFD and attract young people, that will be a big achievement in fighting the right. The June elections to EP will show whether BSW has emerged as the principal alternative to the Right in Germany. (IPA Service)