Wagenknecht Criticizes Merz: 'He Will Be Remembered as the Chancellor Who Destroyed Germany's Prosperity'

Sahra Wagenknecht, a prominent figure in the German opposition, heavily criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his economic policies. Referencing Volkswagen's plan to lay off tens of thousands of employees, Wagenknecht criticized the government and stated that Merz will be remembered as the 'chancellor who destroyed Germany's prosperity and employment'. In a statement on social media platform X, Wagenknecht said, 'Merz will go down in history as the chancellor who destroyed many jobs and prosperity.' These comments came after news that Volkswagen is considering laying off up to 100,000 employees worldwide out of its approximately 657,000 workers. Wagenknecht argued that this development is an indicator of the problems in Germany's industrial policies. She emphasized that the deindustrialization process in Germany can only be stopped by ensuring competitive energy costs and implementing economic policies free from ideological approaches. Criticizing the current government's policies, Wagenknecht called on Chancellor Merz to resign once again. According to a public opinion poll by the INSA Research Institute, cited by Bild newspaper, the support of the German people for Chancellor Merz has fallen to its lowest level in recent years. The survey found that only 15% of Germans are satisfied with Merz's performance as chancellor.