A well-known German leftist politician, Sara Wagenknecht, was targeted with a red liquid, suspected to be paint, during a campaign event in Erfurt, ahead of the upcoming state elections on Sunday. Wagenknecht, the founder of the new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, was lightly splattered with the liquid but briefly left the stage. A man was swiftly apprehended by security personnel after the incident.
Wagenknecht, who later expressed being frightened but unharmed on the social media platform X, returned to the stage. This occurrence comes amidst a surge in political violence in Germany. There have been previous incidents including physical assaults on politicians and verbal attacks on supporters.
Both the ruling and opposition factions have reported a rise in physical and verbal assaults on their members, leading to calls for increased security at political events. Wagenknecht was campaigning in Thuringia, one of the states holding elections, alongside Saxony on Sunday, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to perform strongly.
Wagenknecht, who officially established her party in January, aims to alter the political landscape in response to the decreasing popularity of the national government. The AfD and Wagenknecht’s party, BSW, have seen increased support, particularly in the former East Germany, due to dissatisfaction with the current administration.
Wagenknecht advocates for left-wing economic policies, supporting high wages and generous benefits, along with a stringent stance on immigration. She also opposes certain environmental measures to tackle climate change and is against current sanctions on Russia. She has emphasized that her party will only engage in state governments with a firm commitment to diplomacy and opposition to war preparations.
