Gebhardt sees the Left in a difficult situation

Failure as an opportunity: The Left Party in Saxony sees the turn of part of the party towards the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) as a signal for a new beginning. "The Left is in a difficult situation. At the federal level in particular, some have been working against their own party for a long time. This motivates us all the more to regain trust," parliamentary group leader Rico Gebhardt told the German Press Agency. Saxony's Left Party is now united.

"We have the interests of the majority in mind, even if some maliciously claim the opposite," said Gebhardt, reacting to statements made by former Left Party member of parliament Sabine Zimmermann. She had accused her former comrades of no longer making policy for the citizens of this country, but only for a certain clientele. The Left Party in Saxony is anything but unworldly and always takes up relevant issues, Gebhardt countered.

"Everyone can read what our state parliamentary group has been dealing with since 2019. Around 400 of the 500 motions and draft laws to date are dedicated to topics such as wages, education, health, poverty, housing, climate protection, transport and the economy," said the parliamentary group leader. In contrast, there has not been a single parliamentary initiative on the topic of gender equality. Only one of more than 2,000 press releases in this legislature has referred to gender-equitable language.

However, Gebhardt sees a great need for action: "We are badly governed, in Berlin and in Dresden. It's no wonder that people are dissatisfied. Never before in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany has the far right threatened human dignity and democracy so strongly." The Left consistently stands for justice, democracy, peace and anti-fascism and is there for working people: "Location and job security, good work and good wages are our goal."

According to Gebhardt, many people want an open society of freedom and equality with democracy and diversity, in which human rights apply to everyone. "They want a stable order and to be able to plan ahead. However, they are currently experiencing a loss of control and many are therefore falling back on old, partly glorified orders." The idea of closed societies is booming.

With a view to the state elections on September 1, Gebhardt remains comparatively relaxed - even though the party is currently only averaging around six percent in the polls. The BSW is hardly in a better position. "All the polls now show what was clear from the outset: BSW is not weakening the AfD, but those who want fair and social policies for everyone," says Gebhardt. In the 2019 state elections, the Left Party received 10.4 percent of the second votes.

However, Gebhardt made it clear that work as an opposition party is not in vain. "Opposition from the left has an effect - even if it is often delayed," said the parliamentary group leader. Unfortunately, the CDU and alliances dominated by it have so far rejected all opposition proposals on principle in Saxony, however sensible they may be. "It happens, however, that after a while the government itself takes measures that the Left proposed."

Gebhardt referred, among other things, to the alliance forged in the run-up to the 2019 state election to introduce longer joint learning, which ultimately made the community school possible. "In 2020, the government finally created this type of school, even if there are still high hurdles to its establishment. We want to tear down these hurdles." The repair bonus based on the Thuringian model also stems from a demand by the Left Party.

The parliamentary group leader sees some of his party's ideas being implemented in the education sector in particular. "We had been calling for a round table on the future of the school system since 2020. In the meantime, the state government has launched the 'Bildungsland 2030' process. Our demand to set up school budgets for external staff to relieve teachers has been implemented at 400 schools so far. In addition, teacher training is being increasingly regionalized," said Gebhardt