Linke on foreign affairs and defence

The Left opposes higher military spending and a step-by-step return of conscription. It also objects to the military use of land and sites in the state. In the program's view, rearmament does not make the state safer and takes money away from social security, education and industrial change.

The Left does not want to spend more money on the military. It is against conscription. Conscription means young people must join the army. The party also wants less military use of places in Saxony-Anhalt. It wants the money to go to social programs and schools instead.

The program rejects the goal of becoming "war-ready" and calls instead for international law, disarmament and a balancing of interests. In the party's view, higher military budgets mainly benefit the profits of arms companies. It says conscription takes away young people's freedom. Natural areas such as the Colbitz-Letzlinger Heide should be used peacefully. The Left opposes military use of Leipzig-Halle airport and any further buildup of the Holzdorf base.

The Left wants to add a civil clause to the state's higher education act. Such a clause commits universities to research for civilian purposes only. The platform says this is meant to strengthen civilian research.

The Left wants a civil clause in the university law. This is a rule for research. Universities would then only do research for peaceful purposes. There should be no research for the military there.

The clause is to be part of the state higher education act and would therefore apply to the state's universities. The platform places it among its plans for research and fair collaborations. The stated aim is for knowledge to remain free, secure, and usable.

The Left links climate protection to peace policy and wants state subsidies directed primarily to civilian rather than arms production. In the platform's view, wars and rearmament drive up emissions and tie up money needed for social and environmental purposes.

The Left says wars harm the climate. State money should go to civilian companies rather than weapons makers. The military should report its CO₂ emissions openly. Politics should rely on talks and disarmament.

Saxony-Anhalt is to press in the Bundesrat (the chamber of the states) for military emissions to be recorded fully and transparently. Civilian production is to take priority when state subsidies are awarded so that jobs do not depend on the arms sector. The party wants to strengthen a policy built on diplomacy, disarmament and international cooperation. The platform calls peace a precondition for effective global climate protection.