Latest news with #BSW
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Top German court blocks populist party's challenge to election result
Germany's top court on Tuesday rejected a challenge to the results of February's parliamentary elections. The case was brought by the populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which won 4.981% of the vote - falling just short of the 5% required to secure seats in the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament. The party filed a legal challenge to the results, arguing that its right to equal opportunity was denied over the failure to carry out a recount, and the BSW's placement on election ballots. The Constitutional Court, based in the south-western city of Karlsruhe, ruled that the complaints were inadmissible. "The applicant has not sufficiently substantiated the possibility of a violation of its right to equal opportunities," it said in a statement. Just one year after emerging as a splinter group from The Left party, the BSW fell 9,529 votes short of reaching the 5% hurdle in February's election. In its challenge, it claimed that up to 32,000 votes for the party were either not counted, or were incorrectly assigned. A successful challenge could have had huge implications for German politics. The new coalition government in Berlin - made up of Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats, the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union and the centre-left Social Democratic Party - would have lacked a majority in the Bundestag if the BSW had overcome the 5% hurdle.
The Herald Scotland
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Forest with 'outstanding views' to Ben Nevis Range for sale
Landfor Chartered Land and Forestry Agency said the Kilmonivaig Wood is a 'compact and attractive' first-rotation commercial conifer woodland, established in 1975 with a productive crop of Sitka spruce near Fort William. The agent said: 'Covering approximately 10.50 hectares, the timber crop is now reaching maturity and could be harvested within the next five years. 'This presents the purchaser with the opportunity to generate immediate tax-free income or, alternatively, to allow further growth, increasing the volume of harvestable timber within the woodland. 'The underlying soils are predominantly peaty gleys and humus-iron podzols, well-suited to commercial forestry, as demonstrated by the strong growth rates of the conifer crop with yield classes reaching 16 and above.' The forest is in a 'stunning setting'. (Image: Landfor) Landfor added: 'Set in one of Scotland's most picturesque regions, the woodland enjoys outstanding views of the world-famous Ben Nevis Mountain range and presents an excellent small-scale investment opportunity for an incoming purchaser. 'Kilmonivaig Wood lies in a stunning setting approximately four miles west of Spean Bridge in the Scottish Highlands offering dramatic and far-reaching views of the Ben Nevis Mountain range, Grey Corries, and the Great Glen.' READ MORE: The agent said: 'Around 8.7 miles to the south is the popular town of Fort William, which provides a wide range of amenities, including hotels, restaurants, and various outdoor attractions and activities. 'The area is renowned for its excellent conditions for timber growth, particularly high-quality Sitka spruce, and benefits from outstanding scenery alongside good access to timber markets. BSW's sawmill in Corpach offers a very convenient local market for sawlog timber as well as jetty facilities nearby that enable timber exports by sea. 'Transport links in the area are well-developed, with the A82 providing access to key regional destinations, while Fort William railway station offers direct connections to Glasgow and beyond.' The freehold being marketed at offers over £185,000.
Russia Today
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Two German MEPs to defy EU with Moscow visit
A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including two Germans, are planning to travel to Moscow for a two-day visit to take part in Victory Day celebrations and send a message of peace, the German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. The delegation will reportedly also include MEPs from the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Slovakia. The visit will feature 'talks with [Russian] parliamentarians as well as politicians and cultural figures,' according to German MEPs Michael von der Schulenburg and Ruth Firmenich. The two MEPs, who represent the left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), told dpa they wanted to express support for the unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine announced by Moscow. 'We also want to send a signal that we are committed to ensuring that the guns in Ukraine remain permanently silent,' they said. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral Victory Day truce, which took effect at midnight on May 7–8 and is expected to last until midnight on May 10–11. Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky dismissed the initiative as 'manipulation,' as Kiev intensified drone attacks on Russian cities, including Moscow. Separately, two other BSW politicians – former German MPs Klaus Ernst and Sevim Dagdelen – told Der Spiegel on Wednesday that they would attend a reception at the Russian Embassy in Berlin marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The politicians said they wanted to demonstrate opposition to the 'falsification of history' and the demonization of Russia. 'Russia is not my enemy, and I don't feel threatened by or at war with Russia,' Dagdelen stated, describing the occasion as an opportunity for 'dialogue' and a 'new beginning in German-Russian relations.' Ernst told the paper they were also alarmed by 'the clearly visible signs of war preparations in Germany.' Their stance contrasts with that of official Berlin and Brussels. The German Foreign Ministry had earlier advised organizers against inviting Russian and Belarusian representatives to WWII commemorations. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned in April that the bloc opposes any officials from member or candidate states attending Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. Meanwhile, Berlin authorities have banned the display of Russian and Soviet flags and symbols during commemorations on May 8 and 9, according to local media.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Germany's solar power set to overtake lignite in 2025
Germany's solar power output is expected to surpass electricity generation from lignite for the first time this year, according to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW). The group forecasts that new solar systems with a combined capacity of 17.5 gigawatts will be connected to the grid in 2025. With lignite-fired power generation just slightly ahead of solar last year, the trend points toward a changing energy mix. "Clean solar power will likely overtake lignite in Germany's domestic electricity production in 2025," said Carsten Körnig, chief executive of BSW. According to data from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), lignite-fired power plants produced 72.8 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, while solar systems generated 72.6 TWh. That translated into a 15.61% share for lignite in German net electricity production, compared to 15.57% for solar. BSW expects strong growth in plug-in solar devices, otherwise known as balcony power plants, although these still account for only around 1% of Germany's total electricity production. Overall, the country now operates solar systems with a combined installed capacity of around 105 gigawatts, according to BSW estimates.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wagenknecht fails to unseat party official amid BSW power struggle
Firebrand populist politician Sahra Wagenknecht failed to unseat a regional official of her Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) at a key conference Saturday in the eastern German city of Gera amid a power struggle over the party's direction. The BSW's leadership in the state of Thuringia - where it forms part of the regional government - faced re-election at the meeting. Thuringia's deputy premier and finance minister, Katja Wolf, sought another term as chair of the state party, but faced a contested election and opposition from Wagenknecht. In a letter to party members ahead of the vote, Wagenknecht had called for delegates to support another candidate, state lawmaker Anke Wirsing. However Wolf prevailed and beat Wirsing. Wolf received 61 votes in the vote in Gera. Wirsing, who has hardly appeared in state politics to date and sees herself as a Wagenknecht supporter, received 35 votes. The Thuringian BSW members discussed a separation of offices in future in Gera, but no motions were voted on. Wolf is part of the fragile coalition government in Thuringia, made up of the BSW, along with the Christian Democrats and the centre-left Social Democrats. The party power struggle is also emblematic of the BSW's wider struggles since it burst onto the German political scene last year. The anti-immigration party broke off from The Left party and had success in state elections in eastern Germany in September. "We would have found a different decision smarter," BSW Secretary General Christian Leye told dpa after Wolf's selection. But he stressed that the decision in favour of Wolf was made democratically. Despite its regional success in regional elections, the BSW - which has been highly critical of German support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion - narrowly failed to reach the 5% threshold to enter the German parliament in February's national election. The poor result has led to calls for reform and restructuring within the party, which said this week it is challenging the results of the federal election.
