Thuringian BSW parliamentary group splits amid member departures

The Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) parliamentary group in the Thuringian Landtag is facing a significant split. Four members have announced their departure from the party, fundamentally altering the state's political landscape.

Matthias Herzog, a deputy state chairman and economic policy spokesperson, resigned from the party citing a “permanent internal distance” from its structures and positions. While he left the party, he intends to retain his parliamentary mandate and remain part of the BSW parliamentary group.

In a separate move, three additional members—Stefan Wogawa, Dirk Hoffmeister, and Roberto Kobelt—have left both the party and the parliamentary group. They have reportedly founded a new political entity named “Deine Stimme zählt”. The departing members cited dissatisfaction with the direction of the BSW federal executive board.

These departures transform the current governing coalition in Thuringia, composed of the CDU, BSW, and SPD, from a pact-based arrangement into a formal minority government. This shift leaves the coalition vulnerable to being outvoted by opposition parties, including the AfD and Die Linke.