Left-wing leader Martin Schirdewan is critical of the peace demonstration initiated by Left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and feminist Alice Schwarzer on Saturday in Berlin. In the call for this, as in the “Manifesto for Peace”, he lacks clear text against the Russian invasion and against the right-wing.
Left party leader Martin Schirdewan has warned of the peace movement being infiltrated by extreme right-wing forces. “I see with concern that the extreme right seems to be massively mobilizing,” said Schirdewan “Zeit Online” with a view to the upcoming demonstrations on the anniversary of the Ukraine war. The Federal Ministry of the Interior also warned against right-wing extremists influencing rallies. The AfD leadership called for participation in the demonstrations it supported for the anniversary.
Schirdewan expressed the fear “that the peace movement will be damaged by the fact that the AfD is trying to take over certain positions and rallies for itself”. In this context, he expressly criticized the demonstration call by left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht: “There must be a clear demarcation to the right. That is missing in the call.”
Wagenknecht published a “Manifesto for Peace” together with women’s rights activist Alice Schwarzer. Both have also called for a large rally on Saturday in Berlin. This is also promoted by groups of the extreme right.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, there have been increased attempts at mobilization by extremists as a result of the war. “Right-wing extremists repeatedly succeed in visibly influencing meetings attended by a heterogeneous spectrum,” the ministry said. With the announced delivery of battle tanks to Ukraine, the war has now become “a dominant topic in the right-wing extremist spectrum” again.
Linke boss Schirdewan also expressed serious concerns about the content of the Wagenknecht-Schwarzer manifesto. “I miss the sentence that the Russian army has no business in Ukraine. It has to withdraw, that’s a prerequisite for a lasting peace,” he said. “Unfortunately, the manifesto by Sahra Wagenknecht and Alice Schwarzer is silent on this.”
The manifesto has since been signed by leading AfD politicians, including party leader Tino Chrupalla. On Thursday, he campaigned to take part in the anti-war rallies supported by his party. “We are the peace party,” said the AfD leader. He called for an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Co-party leader Alice Weidel tried to give the rallies planned by the AfD a non-partisan look. Everyone is welcome, “we don’t exclude anyone because of a ‘wrong’ party affiliation,” she emphasized.
Left foreign expert Sevim Dagdelen also called for participation in the Wagenknecht/Schwarzer rally. “The federal government must finally stop the massive arms deliveries to Ukraine, which Germany is becoming more and more involved in the war,” said the member of the Bundestag. Germany must now “act for an immediate ceasefire without preconditions”.
The exiled Ukrainian organization Vitsche, among others, wants to send a pro-Ukrainian signal in the demonstration with a large rally in Berlin on Friday. The Center for Liberal Modernity and the organization Campact are among the co-organizers and supporters.
“We mustn’t let the dangerous alliance of left-wing Putin understanders and right-wing free riders on the road,” said Campact managing director Christoph Bautz. “Wagenknecht and Schwarzer want to end Europe’s solidarity with Ukraine and are running Putin’s business of disinformation and division.”
Vitsche managing director Krista-Marija Läbe said: “We will never understand why people like Ms. Wagenknecht want to deprive Ukraine of the right to self-defense and self-determination.” She finds it “cruel that they are using the date around the anniversary to mobilize against support for Ukraine”.
