Other way around, Wagenknecht is the one who didn't distance herself from the Kremlin and forked off her own party, BSW, which finally enabled Die Linke to get at least some distance from the Kremlin. (This schism was fracturing that party so hard…)
But only a little nominal distance in a few interviews. Die Linke is still the official successor of the SED, which was the GDRs single allowed communist party. And this shows in membership and positions, which are 95% true to Moscow.
Arguing its SED successor status 35 years after the end of the GDR is positively silly, especially considering it's only half right since the party is a fusion of PDS and WASG, the latter having no SED or GDR connection at all.
And from the people I know, the Moscow parts of Die Linke have in fact largely left for BSW. Some are a bit too pacifist about Ukraine, but that's about it in terms of alignment with Moscow.
[Ed.: if anything, the SED successor flag should be given to BSW I'd say, but even that's off the mark.]
Afaik, Die Linke still have anti-NATO stance in their program and call for it to dissolve and a new collective defense pact be created with Russia in it, which was an eyeroll to me, given the war, cyber attacks and everything.
Edit: I last read some of that program in 2024, so not sure what’s their stance lately on this.
What you're probably referring to is still in there, except they're not asking for a new defense pact with Russia in it, they're asking for a security system (with Russia in it). (page 89)
On the same page, they're also asking for the UN to be improved, specifically noting the security council. That's directly to the detriment of its permanent members, including… Russia.
P.S.: I profit monetarily from NATO, yet still think it's broken, but for reasons diametrically opposite to Die Linke: I think the US won't deliver as NATO member. It doesn't matter as long as US interests are the same as NATOs, but, … if Russia attacks the Baltics? I'm not gonna hold my breath for US NATO troops.
