Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht: What makes this party tick? And how does she feel about the AfD?

The BSW seemed to be on the decline for a long time: it narrowly missed out on entering the Bundestag, and the party received disastrous results in the state elections in the southwest. The BSW, co-founded by Sahra Wagenknecht and tailored to her person, only attracted attention with internal party power struggles.

By the time of the election in Saxony-Anhalt, the BSW had made it into the Magdeburg state parliament with 5.3 percent and was tipping the scales. The AfD got 43.8 percent. For the first time since 1945, a right-wing extremist party could rule in Germany; it is a turning point. The BSW has been positioning itself as an anti-firewall party for a long time. In the weeks before the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the BSW aggressively curry favor with the AfD. Does it now pave the way to power for her?

No direct election of AfD man Ulrich Siegmund as Prime Minister, but indirect support through abstention in the third round of voting, that was the solution that Wagenknecht and the BSW top candidates in Saxony-Anhalt announced before and after the election. No coalition, but definitely substantive cooperation, was another. There are certainly overlaps in the proximity to the Kremlin, the rejection of aid for Ukraine, the refusal of climate protection measures and the defense of refugees, although the BSW, unlike the AfD, does not argue racistly or propagate ethnic nationalism. The BSW prefers a non-partisan prime minister and a citizens' government that governs with changing majorities - including the AfD.

For the democratic parties, this model is a poisonous offer. Wagenknecht describes herself and her BSW as left-wing conservative. When the BSW was founded in 2024, it set out to take away votes from the AfD and keep it smaller. And now? Giving right-wing extremists power options is neither left-wing nor conservative. How has the BSW developed since it was founded in 2024, and what goal is Wagenknecht pursuing with its course? Anna Lehmann, head of the taz parliamentary office, domestic editor Rainer Rutz, who reports on the BSW for the taz, and Daniel Bax, head of topics in the directing department, will talk about this, moderated by Martina Mescher from the wochentaz political team.

🐾 taz Bundestalk live in the taz canteen

After the three state elections, many questions arise that go beyond state politics. Is something currently changing in the German party landscape? We will discuss these and other questions in the live podcast on Monday, September 21st, 2026 in the taz canteen.