SZ economic summit: Wagenknecht again rails against the firewall
At the SZ economic summit in Berlin, politicians and business representatives discuss geopolitical dependencies, arms investments and the future of German industry.
Quick Look
- At the SZ economic summit in Berlin, Sahra Wagenknecht criticized the political firewall against the AfD.
- Transport Minister Steffen Bilger promised improvements in rail punctuality while business representatives debated European sovereignty and AI investments.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The SZ Economic Summit takes place annually in Berlin and brings together decision-makers from politics and business. The BSW narrowly failed to pass the five percent hurdle in the 2025 federal election.
The BSW boss polarized people with her appearance at the economic summit in Berlin.
Sahra Wagenknecht admits at the SZ economic summit that it is more difficult to get involved politically since the BSW is no longer represented in parliament: "Of course we lack this presence." At the same time, it is sowing doubts about the election results. “To this day it is not really clear whether we were elected by more than five percent of the people.” She received outraged murmurs in the hall. In the federal election on February 23, 2025, the BSW narrowly failed to pass the five percent hurdle with 4.981 percent of the second votes.
Wagenknecht announces again that the BSW will abstain from the vote for Prime Minister in Saxony-Anhalt. When asked whether the BSW helped the AfD achieve a breakthrough, she replied: “The AfD was helped to achieve a breakthrough by the parties that made voters angry.” She also questions the way the AfD has been dealt with so far: "I think the firewall is an undemocratic model. And also a failure."
The room in the Berlin Gasometer is well filled when Sahra Wagenknecht takes the stage to speak to summit boss Lisa Nienhaus and deputy editor-in-chief Ulrich Schäfer. She criticizes current politics as “unreasonable and unpopular – rightly so”. She rejects the idea of investing particularly heavily in armaments. “We are now financing drone technology that is aimed at Moscow,” says the BSW founder on stage. “Moscow is now being attacked again using German technology.” In particular, she criticizes the fact that industrial jobs have been lost - and that investments in armaments cannot adequately compensate for this.
“Tanks are not produced to improve quality of life,” says Wagenknecht. Current investments would also increase the risk of war, not reduce it. An economy that focuses more and more on military matters has historically always led to war. "If you become economically dependent on weapons, then you live from the fact that they are used."
Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) promises Deutsche Bahn trains will soon be more punctual. He said at the SZ economic summit that he had agreed with the state-owned company that a good 70 percent of long-distance trains would be on time by 2029. Punctuality is currently well below 60 percent. “100 percent is not possible,” adds the CDU politician. He has praise for the railway manager Evelyn Palla, saying the cooperation is good.
How Europe becomes economically independent is the topic of the first panel. Economist Moritz Schularick says: "The dependencies themselves are not the problem." It becomes problematic when the dependencies are asymmetrical. Germany must particularly think about its dependencies on China and the USA.
Johannes Winkel (CDU) is pleased that Ilse Aigner (CSU) will become the next Federal President. He emphasizes the need to bring society back together.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
BSW will abstain from the prime ministerial election in Saxony-Anhalt.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- When will the new Renewable Energy Act be passed?
- How will rail punctuality actually develop by 2029?
