'Fed Up With Establishment': Why Trump's Election Win Raises No Eyebrows

When people wake up to the fact that they have had enough of the establishment, they start to vote against "corrupt politicians", Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of Germany's Left Party, told Sputnik Germany.

In an interview with Sputnik's German edition, Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of Germany's Left Party, said that people are fed up with the establishment and do not think twice before voting against "corrupt politicians."

Her interview came after Donald Trump's astonishing victory in the November 8 presidential elections in the United States, in which he managed to get the better of the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Speaking to Sputnik, Wagenknecht made it clear that she is not particularly surprised about the results of the US presidential elections.

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer as election day results are announced during the Colorado GOP Election Night Party in Greenwood Village, Colorado on November 8, 2016

© AFP 2023 / Jason Connolly

"The politicians, who now stand with sad expressions and who are in shock about what has happened [in the US], don't really understand anything. The United States' public first and foremost voted for change, rather than specifically for Donald Trump," according to her.

"With the average salary in the country lower than it was forty years ago and only the most wealthy 10,000 people having a sense of well-being, we shouldn't be surprised that people are fed up with the establishment," she said.

In fact, she added, it was the failure of the Democrats to offer up a candidate that didn't understand this call for change and in fact rejected it.

"Hillary Clinton is in fact the personification of a corrupt politician, who was sponsored by Wall Street, the gun lobby, and even Saudi Arabia and Qatar. And the people knew it," Wagenknecht said.

When asked about whether Washington's foreign policy will change under Donald Trump, she warned against jumping to conclusions, saying that only time will tell.

"This, among other things, depends on who will be in his team and how his actions will be independent from the influence of those in the gun lobby who have repeatedly demanded wars for raw materials and spheres of influence," she said.

Addressing his supporters on Wednesday, US President-Elect Donald Trump pledged that "every single American will have an opportunity to realize his or her potential." He promised to rebuild US infrastructure, put millions of people to work and "renew the American dream."

He promised to always put US interest first and to "get along well" with all nations willing to get along with the US. He added that Washington would seek "common ground, not hostility" and "partnership, not conflict."

He then thanked his family for their "incredible support" throughout the presidential run. Trump also thanked US secret service staff and law enforcement for their help as he was speaking to his supporters after declaring victory in the US presidential elections, and even hinted that he hadn't ruled out an eight year term.