State election: BSW with Zimmermann and Scheibe as top duo

The Saxon state association of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) set itself up for the state elections on Saturday. At two formal party conferences on the same day in Dresden, the election program for the state election was first adopted and then the candidates for the state list were voted on. Party chairwoman Sabine Zimmermann spoke of a "spirit of optimism" among the 52 participants on site. "We will give the Saxon state parliament a breath of fresh air," she said. They had paved the way for this on Saturday.

Zimmermann was elected first on the list, with co-chair Jörg Scheibe in second place, both receiving 94% of the vote. "A good election result," said Zimmermann. "That gives us a tailwind as lead candidates." The party put forward a total of 30 candidates. Federal party leader Sahra Wagenknecht called them "an excellent mix" of people who had already gained experience in politics and people who were getting involved for the first time.

In the coming legislative period, the BSW wants to push through a committee of inquiry into coronavirus policy in the state parliament. Wagenknecht said that the consequences of the measures have not yet been dealt with. "If we can be the first to push this through in a state parliament, I think that would also be an important signal for federal politics."

Other focal points of the election manifesto, which Wagenknecht praised as "professional", are education, health and migration. One demand, for example, is teaching without smartphones or tablets, at least in elementary school. The BSW also wants to support teachers with teams of IT managers, social workers and psychologists. Healthcare should be ensured for everyone locally. To counter the shortage of doctors, the BSW wants to establish a medical university in Saxony. Its migration policy demands include a stop to uncontrolled immigration and the nationwide introduction of a payment card for asylum seekers.

The BSW founded its first state association in Saxony at the end of February. Its chairpersons are former Left Party member of parliament Sabine Zimmermann and entrepreneur Jörg Scheibe. The BSW recently achieved 11 percent in election polls in the state. The BSW is also running in the local and European elections in Saxony on June 9.