Left and BSW clash in the election campaign

The Left Party and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) are also irreconcilable in the Saxon election campaign. BSW state leader Sabine Zimmermann called on the Left to refrain from misinformation in the election campaign. She found it alarming that Left Party leader Susanne Schaper was "deliberately spreading fake news" in order to discredit the BSW, Zimmermann told the German Press Agency. "We should all stick to factual debate in the election campaign, please." The Left Party's regional managing director Lars Kleba rejected the accusation.

Left Party Chairwoman Schaper had accused the BSW of advocating military research at Saxony's universities in the Wahl-O-Mat. Zimmermann replied that Article 5 of the Basic Law guarantees the freedom of research and that research areas cannot be banned. However, this does not mean that the BSW is in favor of such research. This was also made clear in the detailed answer in the Wahl-O-Mat. The BSW is in favor of a voluntary renunciation of military research.

""Research for military purposes should be allowed at the universities of the Free State" - everyone can read in the Wahl-O-Mat that the BSW agreed with this thesis," countered Left Party regional managing director Lars Kleba: "These people have a tactical relationship with the truth. This can also be seen in their slanderous claim that the Left has neglected core social issues such as care, wages or education."

The Sahra Wagenknecht alliance split from the Left in the fall of 2023. In current election polls, the BSW is polling up to 15 percent in Saxony. The Left Party, on the other hand, was last polling at 3 to 5 percent and is worried about re-entering parliament. It is hoping to win two direct mandates in Leipzig. In this case, the party would also be represented in the state parliament with list candidates, depending on its share of the vote.