Just days before crucial state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, the German public broadcaster ZDF aired a controversial report. It labeled potential voters of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) as right-wing radicals, suggesting they share views with the far-right AfD party. But here’s the twist: the study backing this claim was funded and influenced by the US billionaire and political activist George Soros, as well as a foundation linked to the SPD (Germany’s Social Democratic Party). 

This isn’t mentioned in the report, raising serious concerns about hidden agendas at play in shaping the election narrative.

The ZDF Report and the Soros Connection

On August 22nd, ZDF released a report claiming BSW supporters often have extremist, right-wing views. It referenced a study conducted by the Berlin research institute dpart. The message was loud and clear: voting for the BSW could mean aligning with right-wing radicals. But what the report didn’t mention is the study was funded by Soros’s Open Society Foundations, a global organization known for its political influence.

Soros, famous for his support of liberal causes, has been involved in several political activities worldwide. His funding of this study raises the question: was the study really neutral, or was it meant to discredit BSW supporters right before a critical election?

The SPD’s Hidden Role

The connections don’t stop with Soros. The director of the study, Neele Eilers, has ties to the SPD through the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, a think tank linked to the party. Eilers has even worked for the foundation in the past. On top of that, the study’s methodology for identifying so-called “right-wing extremist” views came straight from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s own research methods.

The SPD has been struggling in the polls, especially with the rise of the BSW. So, is it a coincidence that a study closely tied to the SPD is now being used to damage the reputation of the BSW in the lead-up to the election?

The Controversial Study

The study asked people about their views on several issues, such as:

• Whether foreigners come to Germany for welfare benefits
• If Muslims should be banned from entering the country
• Whether women should return to traditional roles as housewives
• Whether dictatorship might sometimes be better than democracy

While some of these statements are clearly extreme, others are relatively harmless and reflect views held by many people, not just extremists. However, the ZDF report painted all BSW supporters as extremists without providing detailed data on how many BSW voters actually agreed with the more radical statements.

What’s worse, ZDF selectively highlighted only two of the least controversial statements—those concerning welfare benefits and national pride—while implying that BSW voters also supported dictatorship. The actual study doesn’t provide clear numbers on how many BSW supporters agreed with the dictatorship statement, leaving the public in the dark.

Manipulating the Truth?

The way ZDF presented the study’s findings is raising eyebrows. They reported that BSW voters increasingly agree with the idea of dictatorship, but the study itself doesn’t give a clear answer on this. The section on dictatorship in the study only compares BSW supporters to AfD voters and shows that BSW voters are actually *less* supportive of authoritarian ideas than AfD voters. Yet, ZDF’s headline still made it sound like all BSW supporters were extremists.

The study also bundled all responses—harmless or extreme—into a vague “index” of right-wing extremist views. This made it impossible for anyone to see how many BSW voters really held extremist views, leading to accusations that ZDF and the study’s authors are deliberately manipulating the truth.

A Bigger Campaign?

This isn’t the first time ZDF and other public broadcasters have gone after the BSW. In July, ZDF aired a report mocking BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht, comparing her to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Other outlets have similarly attacked the BSW, labeling them as pro-Russian and accusing them of spreading disinformation, often with questionable evidence.

Some believe that this coordinated campaign is connected to NATO and Western interests. The BSW, which is critical of Germany’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war and supports peace negotiations, has become a target for those who want to maintain the current policy of sending weapons to Ukraine. In fact, recent polls show that two-thirds of Germans support peace talks with Russia, a view that aligns with the BSW’s position but contradicts the government’s stance.

Hidden Agendas in Play?

This entire situation raises important questions: Are public broadcasters like ZDF, who are supposed to remain neutral, being used to influence elections? Is Soros’s funding playing a role in shaping the narrative? And why are the SPD and other powerful players so determined to damage the BSW’s reputation?

With the state elections fast approaching, the influence of foreign money, party interests, and selective reporting could be swaying voters without them even realizing it. It’s a complex web of politics, media, and hidden agendas that seems to be working behind the scenes to shape Germany’s political future.