BSW Leader Says AfD Victory Opens New Opportunities

Sahra Wagenknecht says the election result in Saxony-Anhalt could create new political possibilities, even though her BSW party and the far-right AfD occupy opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Preliminary results show the AfD winning 43.8% of the vote. The CDU took 17.2%, while the BSW passed the 5% threshold needed to enter the state parliament. The AfD does not hold a majority on its own, but BSW support could give it influence in the assembly in Magdeburg.

Wagenknecht told the DPA news agency that the result could produce majorities to change energy policy, end sanctions against Russia, strengthen education and carry out a fundamental reform of public broadcasting. “BSW will use these majority issues to improve people’s lives,” she said.

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BSW will use these majority issues to improve people’s lives.

She has ruled out forming a coalition with the AfD, but has not excluded cooperation with the party. German parties have previously maintained a so-called firewall agreement to avoid supporting the AfD. Wagenknecht said the CDU, which she called the election’s loser, should be replaced, arguing that efforts to keep the AfD out of government had failed and that simply building another coalition to exclude it would insult voters.

The eventual form of the state government remains unclear. The preliminary result has nevertheless raised the possibility of cooperation between the far right and far left on selected issues.

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The election’s loser, the CDU, must be replaced. The policy of keeping the AfD out of government has failed. Simply trying to form another coalition to exclude the AfD would be an insult to voters.