Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), has admitted shortcomings in Brandenburg's coalition crisis. She cites the party's youth as a reason and relies on talks to resolve the conflict. The crisis revolves around the vote on media state treaties.
In an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Sahra Wagenknecht admitted shortcomings in the BSW's coalition crisis in Brandenburg. «Regarding the media state treaties, we should have voiced our concerns earlier», she said. She attributed this to the party's youth: «But no one really had it on their radar because we are such a young party and don't yet have the kind of referent apparatus that established parties have to handle such tasks.»
Normally, a referent would have prepared notes for BSW Vice Minister-President Robert Crumbach to take to the cabinet. Wagenknecht explained: «I haven't had a free head to think about strategic issues for more than a year because I've been full-time with party management.»
Regarding the continuation of the SPD-BSW coalition, she expressed optimism despite the exits of four state parliament members last week. «The exits of the four state parliament members in Brandenburg are regrettable, but that's not going to break the BSW anytime soon», she said. She hopes for a resolution through talks: «It only partly has to do with the vote on the media state treaties. The criticism of public broadcasting, its one-sidedness and the narrowing of the opinion corridor, we share with many of our voters.»
The BSW had signaled to the SPD that it would vote against the treaties, which is no breach of coalition as the agreement contains no stipulation on it. Wagenknecht praised local discussions: «I think it's right that now on site, talks and a solution are being sought and people are not immediately excluded from the parliamentary group.»
On Wednesday, the state parliament will vote on two media state treaties: on the broadcasting reform for ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio, as well as on youth media protection. The BSW parliamentary group plans to mostly reject them, while Finance Minister Crumbach voted in favor in the cabinet and will do so in the parliament. The four exited members plan to leave the chamber to not endanger the decision.