Committee recommends approval for three ex-BSW politicians to form parliamentary group

A parliamentary group comprising three former members of the BSW party is poised to be established in the Brandenburg state parliament, following a recommendation from the main committee. The decision now rests with the parliament itself. This move, occurring approximately five months after the SPD/BSW coalition fractured, would grant the three lawmakers – Melanie Matzies, Reinhard Simon, and André von Ossowski – enhanced rights and greater financial backing compared to their status as individual representatives.

The trio, who initially entered the state parliament in 2024 via the BSW's state list, broke away from the BSW alliance in November 2025, citing authoritarian tendencies among other reasons. Matzies and Simon rejoined the party but left again after the SPD/BSW coalition dissolved in January, departing from both the BSW and its parliamentary faction.

Their proposed group, to be named "Wir für Brandenburg" (We for Brandenburg), intends to maintain "critical distance" from the government without adhering to strict party or coalition discipline. "We will not let them dictate their definition of opposition to us," stated von Ossowski, addressing the AfD and BSW. Both the AfD and BSW have voiced criticism, with the AfD's parliamentary leader Hans-Christoph Berndt questioning the group's comprehensive plans and the BSW's parliamentary managing director Falk Peschel describing their agenda as a "torso of topics." Von Ossowski, however, highlighted a specialization in justice, culture, education, and health.

The Brandenburg state parliament had previously amended its parliamentary law, as prior regulations did not permit the formation of such a group after a member's departure from an existing faction. The current rules require individual parliamentary approval for groups formed under these circumstances.

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We will not let them dictate their definition of opposition to us.