Sahra Wagenknecht Opens Door to Cooperation with Germany's AfD

Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the newly founded BSW party, announced that the party’s long‑standing “brick wall” against any collaboration with the AfD is over. She advocates “citizen governments” that work with changing majorities and says that voting for BSW would “break the brick wall.” Wagenknecht’s statements come ahead of state elections in Saxony‑Anhalt (September) and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern (autumn), where the AfD currently leads in polls in several eastern states. Political scientists note that while a formal coalition is unlikely, indirect cooperation—such as supporting minority governments or joint voting blocs—could become possible. BSW, which missed the 5‑percent threshold in the 2025 Bundestag election, seeks to improve its parliamentary prospects. Co‑leader Amira Mohamed Ali warned that mainstream parties like the CDU and SPD cannot count on BSW’s support.

Experts see the development as a potential shift in the balance of power in eastern German state politics but not a nationwide upheaval.