The leader of the German political party, BSW (Die Bewegungen Soziale Freiheit), Sahra Wagenknecht, has publicly called for the resignation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following a recent agreement reached between the United States and the European Union regarding trade disputes.
Wagenknecht stated in an interview with “Rheinische Post” that von der Leyen should step down and that the German government should actively advocate for this within the EU. She characterized the agreement with the U.S. government not as a beneficial deal, but as a “disaster” attributable to von der Leyen’s leadership. Wagenknecht urged the German government to reject the agreement and collaborate with other nations to terminate the existing trade arrangement and initiate fresh negotiations.
The newly established trade framework is facing widespread criticism due to concerns about potential economic repercussions. A tariff of 15% will be imposed on numerous EU exports entering the United States. Certain product categories, including chemicals and aircraft, are exempt. However, tariffs of 50% will remain in place for steel and aluminum. Furthermore, the EU has committed to investing $600 billion in the U.S. economy and purchasing liquefied natural gas, oil and other fuels valued at $750 billion – a scale that experts are deeming unrealistic and potentially detrimental to climate protection efforts.
