Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the BSW party, has indicated she is open to cooperating with the far-right AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, according to a report from DIE ZEIT published Tuesday. The statement follows the recent state election in the eastern German state, where both parties secured representation in the regional parliament.
Wagenknecht’s remarks mark a notable shift in tone, as the BSW has previously distanced itself from the AfD at the federal level. The DIE ZEIT report suggests that the BSW chair sees potential for joint work in the state legislature, though it does not specify the exact form such cooperation might take.
In a separate interview with MDR, Wagenknecht argued that voters would likely be even more dissatisfied if the AfD were completely excluded from government participation. That comment, reported by MDR.de, reinforces the idea that she views some level of AfD involvement as a way to address public frustration.
The topic also surfaced on German talk shows. According to WELT, Wagenknecht reacted angrily when questioned about the matter by host Markus Lanz, calling one query "impudent." Spiegel noted that the Saxony-Anhalt election results dominated discussions on both "Hart aber fair" and "Markus Lanz" programs. SZ.de described the appearance of Wagenknecht alongside AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla on Lanz’s show as "a perfect match," highlighting the unusual pairing of the two politicians on national television.
The BSW, which emerged as a left-leaning populist party, has gained ground in eastern Germany by appealing to voters dissatisfied with established parties. Saxony-Anhalt now becomes a test case for whether Wagenknecht’s openness translates into concrete parliamentary alliances.
Watch for upcoming coalition negotiations in Magdeburg, where the BSW’s stance on the AfD could shape the state’s political landscape for the next legislative term.
