Settled
Wagenknecht criticises Merz over Kyiv visit and calls for his resignation
In short
Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of Germany’s BSW party, criticised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over his visit to Kyiv and called for him to resign, according to Russian state outlets TASS and RIA Novosti. The two reports give no detail of her argument beyond linking the criticism to the Kyiv trip, and neither outlet reported any response from Merz or the German government.
Why it matters
The reports come from two Russian state outlets and frame a German opposition figure’s attack on the chancellor around his trip to Kyiv, a visit tied to German support for Ukraine. Beyond that framing, the documents give no indication of what follows politically: no response from Merz’s government, his party or BSW is reported.
Key facts
- Sahra Wagenknecht is the founder of the BSW party, according to TASS. [ 1 ]
- Wagenknecht criticised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over his visit to Kyiv. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Wagenknecht called for Merz’s resignation. [ 1 , 2 ]
- TASS reported she spoke in favour of his resignation; RIA Novosti reported she called for it. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Both reports were published on the evening of 5 October 2026, local time. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Wagenknecht’s stated reasons for demanding Merz’s resignation are not given. Both documents carry only a headline and, in one case, a one-line summary; no quotes or arguments are included.
- The date and details of Merz’s visit to Kyiv are not stated. The documents refer to the visit only as the occasion for the criticism.
- Any response from Merz, his government or his party is not reported. Neither document mentions a reaction.
- Where Wagenknecht made the statement, and in what form, is not stated. The documents do not give a place or venue, so the city of the event is unknown.
What local media are saying
Official sourcesBoth documents are Russian state outlets and treat the story as a German political dispute: TASS frames it as Wagenknecht criticising the German chancellor and coming out in favour of his resignation, while RIA Novosti frames it as a call for Merz’s resignation prompted by the Kyiv visit. Neither carries quotes, her reasoning or any German reaction.
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