BSW success in Saxony-Anhalt: ready to hold the stirrup

Despite all the surveys, the BSW made it into the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt. Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht put everything on one card and accepted the split in her party - in Thuringia as before in Brandenburg - in order to make the party profile again as an anti-establishment force before this fateful election. In Saxony-Anhalt, Wagenknecht has achieved its goal of tipping the scales with the BSW.

Wagenknecht made it clear before the state elections that she rejected the AfD's firewall and viewed the right-wing extremist party as a potential partner. Both parties have a lot in common: both reject support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, they are in favor of a tough course against immigrants and refugees and they want to abolish public broadcasting in its current form.

The taz is an independent, left-wing and opinionated daily newspaper. We have been arguing in our comments, essays and debate texts since the taz was founded in 1979. We often cannot and do not want to agree on an opinion. That's why you'll find some completely opposing positions here - all part of the very broad left-wing spectrum of opinions.

After its landslide victory, the AfD has little reason to accept Wageknecht's offer to agree on a non-partisan candidate for the office of prime minister. The BSW has already signaled that, if in doubt, it will help an AfD prime minister come to power. It is available as a stirrup holder.

After the elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, there is a threat of an AfD government for the first time. The taz reports what is at stake - and who is now defending democracy. All texts about the series can be found here.

Does AfD election winner Ulrich Siegmund even want that? He wants to become Prime Minister and sees his party's mandate to govern; he is now looking for a majority in the state parliament. He looks at defectors from the CDU, which he would only like to split. The BSW is not his first choice. In this respect, it is not certain that Wagenknecht's plans will work and that her party will play a key role in Saxony-Anhalt.

It may also be that Wagenknecht achieved a Pyrrhic victory. Even if an AfD government allows itself to be tolerated by the BSW – what accents can it set? One thing is clear: Russian President Vladimir Putin can be happy about this constellation in Saxony-Anhalt.