Ricarda Lang: “BSW has nothing to offer,” she says – and speaks of the “enemy image of the Greens”

It is an election debacle for the traffic light coalition. In Thuringia and Saxony, the parties only achieved single-digit results, the Greens could be thrown out of the state parliaments in both states, and the FDP is even more certain. Green Party leader Ricarda Lang She was visibly upset at the Green Party’s election party in Dresden in light of her party’s election results. She also partly blamed Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

She accused both of having cultivated the “enemy image of the Greens” during the election campaign. “If people keep setting up an opposition and expressing prejudices, then Democrats are sawing off the branch they are sitting on.” And that branch is democratic culture.”

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She described the AfD’s election success in Thuringia as a “historic turning point”. “If the AfD has managed to become the strongest force in one state, Thuringia – and here I hope that it doesn’t come to that – then that is a historic turning point for our country,” she said, visibly agitated, at her party’s election party in Dresden after the first forecast figures were announced.

Referring to the strong performance of Sahra Wagenknecht’s party, Lang added: “If the BSW comes along as a populist offer that has nothing to offer the states here, and has gained so much ground, then that is a problem.”

The SPD also has no reason to be happy. In both states, the Social Democrats achieved single-digit results in the state elections. According to SPD leader Lars Klingbeil Despite the weak results, Chancellor Olaf Scholz can continue to count on the support of his party.

“And at the same time, as the party’s federal chairman, I am telling you that I expect everyone to step up their game even more than they have done so far,” said Klingbeil on ZDF. We must fight together to win back votes. “Everyone must now do their part to make things better.”

FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki explained with regard to the federal government: “The election result shows that the traffic light coalition has lost its legitimacy.” If a significant proportion of voters “refuse to give their consent in this way, there must be consequences,” wrote Kubicki on X. “People have the impression that this coalition is damaging the country. And it is definitely damaging the Free Democratic Party.”

FDP leader and finance minister Christian Lindner was disappointed with his party’s results. “The results in Saxony and Thuringia are painful,” he wrote on X“But no one should be deceived, because we are not giving up our fight for liberal values.” Tomorrow it will continue again. For the other parties of the democratic center there is also “a lot to think about.”

The President of the Israelite Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knoblochexpressed shock at the results of the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia. Germany is in danger of becoming a different country: “more unstable, colder and poorer, less safe, less livable,” said Knobloch in Munich.

Commenting on Sunday’s result, 91-year-old Holocaust survivor Knobloch said: “Nobody should now speak of ‘protest’ or look for other excuses. The numerous voters made their decision consciously, many wanted to hold the extremists on the fringes accountable.” The political consequences of this election are being felt throughout the country.

CSU General Secretary Martin Huber Said that the outcome of the state elections was a “complete slap in the face for the traffic light coalition”. The CSU general secretary attacked the Greens in particular, who had caused a bad mood against themselves through “bad politics”. The CSU general secretary reiterated the Christian Social Union’s position that it would not seek a coalition with the Greens after the federal election next year.

Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt was shocked. “The election in Thuringia is a democratic turning point in this country,” wrote the Green politician on X. “For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic, the Höcke-AfD, a right-wing extremist, anti-democratic party, is the strongest force in a state parliament.” In Saxony, too, enemies of democracy and Putin supporters have gained ground. “This must be a wake-up call, everywhere in Germany, to preserve our freedom – and politics must also improve: fewer pseudo-solutions, fewer arguments, less party-political pettiness, more cooperation,” said the Greens.

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