Sahra Wagenknecht
German politician (born 1969) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sahra Wagenknecht (born Sarah Wagenknecht; German: [ˌzaːʁa ˈvaːɡŋ̍ˌknɛçt]; 16 July 1969) is a German politician, economist, author, and publicist.[1] Since 2009 she has been a member of the Bundestag, where until 2023 she represented The Left. From 2015 to 2019, she served as that party's parliamentary co-chair. With a small team of allies, she left the party on 23 October 2023 to found her own party in 2024, Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht, to contest elections onwards.[2]
Sahra Wagenknecht | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Leader of Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 8 January 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
General Secretary | Christian Leye | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Shervin Haghsheno | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht in the Bundestag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 11 December 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Whip | Jessica Tatti | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Klaus Ernst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 October 2015 – 24 October 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gregor Gysi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Alexander Gauland Alice Weidel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of The Left in the Bundestag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 October 2015 – 12 November 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Whip | Jan Korte | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Sevim Dağdelen Caren Lay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gregor Gysi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Amira Mohamed Ali | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Sarah Wagenknecht (1969-07-16) 16 July 1969 (age 54) Jena, Bezirk Gera, East Germany (now Thuringia, Germany) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (2023–) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations | The Left (2007–2023) Party of Democratic Socialism (1989–2007) Socialist Unity Party (1989) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses |
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Residence | Merzig-Silwingen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | University of Groningen TU Chemnitz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation |
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Website | sahra-wagenknecht | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wagenknecht became a prominent member of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) from the early 1990s. After the foundation of The Left, she became a leading member of one of the party's most left-wing factions as leader of the Communist Platform. She has been a controversial figure throughout her career due to her hardline and populist stances, statements about East Germany, immigration and refugees (which moved away from traditional antiracism), and her political movement Aufstehen.[3][4][5] From 2020 onward Wagenknecht was less active in parliament, but often interviewed by German media. She is not a member of any parliamentary committee.[6]
Since 2021 she had openly considered forming her own party, due to growing and enduring conflicts within the Left Party and at the end of September 2023 she formed BSW – Reason and Justice political party in 2024.