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Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW)

The BSW, founded in 2024 by former Left Party lawmaker Sahra Wagenknecht combines left-leaning economic, conservative migration and pro-Russian foreign policy initiatives. It is most successful in eastern Germany.

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A person leafs through a stack of ballot papers on a table

A person leafs through a stack of ballot papers on a table

Germany's political landscape is more fractured than ever

The successes of the AfD and BSW in the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia has changed the German party system.

Sahra Wagenknecht amid reporters

Sahra Wagenknecht amid reporters

Germany's new BSW party shakes up political landscape

The BSW has only been around since early 2024 but won 16% of the vote in Thuringia's state election.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits a tank production line

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits a tank production line

German support for Ukraine under pressure from populists

The populist BSW and far-right AfD did well in state elections, after campaigning on ending arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands among German citizens in Berlin

Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands among German citizens in Berlin

Disgruntled German voters want change

Support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left government has reached a new low. But who stands to gain?

TTP Sendung | Totale Eng

TTP Sendung | Totale Eng

Rise of the far right: Is Germany at a tipping point?

How will the rise of the far right change Germany and its policies?

Vadimir Putin in a TV studio

Vadimir Putin in a TV studio

Russian propaganda celebrates German far right

Russia's media pundits welcome the rise of the far right in Germany as it neatly fits into the Kremlin's propaganda.

Sahra Wagenknecht

Sahra Wagenknecht

Germany: New BSW party in kingmaker position in east

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance wants to help govern Saxony and Thuringia, but some key demands have been rejected.

Green Party politicians looking miserable

Green Party politicians looking miserable

Populist gains in state elections jolt German government

What will be the nationwide consequences from far-right gains in the Saxony and Thuringia state elections?

Sahra Wagenknecht giving a speech in June 2024

Sahra Wagenknecht giving a speech in June 2024

What is Germany's populist BSW party?

The brand new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is gaining traction. Many of its positions overlap with the far right.

AfD leader in Saxony, Jörg Urban, watches the election results

AfD leader in Saxony, Jörg Urban, watches the election results

Germany: Thuringia and Saxony elections propel far-right AfD

State elections in Saxony and Thuringia showcased the rise of anti-establishment parties, with AfD coming on top.

A Carníval float showing Alice Weidel and Sahra Wagenknecht's heads on a car steered by Vladimir Putin with blood on his hands

A Carníval float showing Alice Weidel and Sahra Wagenknecht's heads on a car steered by Vladimir Putin with blood on his hands

Russia's best friends in Germany: AfD and BSW

The far-right AfD and left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance oppose support for Ukraine — a popular stance with voters.

A BSW poster featuring Sarah Wagenknecht and proclaiming her party gives security a home

A BSW poster featuring Sarah Wagenknecht and proclaiming her party gives security a home

'A one-woman show,' the Sahra Wagenknecht phenomenon

She may be controversial, but her new party’s success in eastern Germany could change the country’s political landscape.

In Görlitz an AfD campaign poster reading 'Security instead of Chaos'

In Görlitz an AfD campaign poster reading 'Security instead of Chaos'

Germany's regional elections threaten Scholz’s coalition

The far-right AfD could win three eastern state elections, dealing a blow to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition.

The flags of Ukraine and Russia

The flags of Ukraine and Russia

Foreign policy dominates regional elections in Germany

Why is Russia’s war in Ukraine high on the agenda in German regional elections in Saxony and Thuringia?

Sahra Wagenknecht (R), chair of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), on stage after the paint attack at a campaign event in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, on August 29, 2024.

Sahra Wagenknecht (R), chair of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), on stage after the paint attack at a campaign event in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, on August 29, 2024.

German politician hit with paint ahead of state election

The attack comes days before elections in two eastern German states where her party is expected to emerge as kingmaker.

Statues of Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller on Weimar's central square, Theaterplatz

Statues of Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller on Weimar's central square, Theaterplatz

Thuringia: A small German state with big political impact

Germany's eastern state of Thuringia is famous for many things. It is also a stronghold of the far right.

Martin Schirdewan and Janine Wissler

Martin Schirdewan and Janine Wissler

Germany's Left Party on the brink of oblivion

The most important socialist voice in the country's political landscape is struggling for survival.

AfD campaign poster reading 'It is time for peace'

AfD campaign poster reading 'It is time for peace'

Foreign policy shapes regional elections in eastern Germany

Many East Germans voters are skeptical about support for Ukraine and the stationing of US missiles in Germany.

Martin Schirdewan and Janine Wissler

Martin Schirdewan and Janine Wissler

Left Party leaders Wissler and Schirdewan to step down

Several batterings in the polls has seen party confidence in the pair deteriorate.

A demonstration of the German Leopard 2 battle tank delivered to the Czech Republic, on July 24, 2020

A demonstration of the German Leopard 2 battle tank delivered to the Czech Republic, on July 24, 2020

German weapons exports on course to hit new record

The war in Ukraine and increased sales to Saudi Arabia helped exports reach €7.48 billion in the first half of the year.

Sahra Wagenknecht stands and smiles among a few other people

Sahra Wagenknecht stands and smiles among a few other people

How German politics could be reshaped by the BSW party

Germany's populist BSW presented a challenge to the far-right AfD in the recent European Parliament elections.

Sahra Wagenknecht and her BSW allies jubilant on Sunday evening

Sahra Wagenknecht and her BSW allies jubilant on Sunday evening

Germany's new populists BSW challenge the far-right AfD

The BSW party took over 6% of the German vote in the EU election. Analysts say the far-right AfD should be most worried.

An election poster showing a cat

An election poster showing a cat

EU election: Who are the small parties striving for votes?

Here are some of the renegades, revolutionaries, and single-issue campaigners vying for votes on June 9 in Germany.

Olaf Scholz at NATO press conference

Olaf Scholz at NATO press conference

EU, NATO growing in popularity in Germany

Germans are feeling the threat of geopolitical instability and are rallying around political and military institutions.

Sahra Wagenknecht with her lips pursed while speaking in front of a blue background at a press conference in Berlin

Sahra Wagenknecht with her lips pursed while speaking in front of a blue background at a press conference in Berlin

Germany: Sahra Wagenknecht launches new political party

It aims to defy labels with a mix of left-leaning economic, conservative migration, and pro-Russian foreign policies.

Left to right: Fabio de Masi, Amira Mohamed Ali, Sahra Wagenknecht, Shervin Haghsheno and Thomas Geisel at the presentation of the new party

Left to right: Fabio de Masi, Amira Mohamed Ali, Sahra Wagenknecht, Shervin Haghsheno and Thomas Geisel at the presentation of the new party

New populist party shakes up German political establishment

Sahra Wagenknecht's new party is restrictive on immigration, pro-Russia and champions left-wing social policies.

Activist Carola Rackete (left) and party co-chair Martin Schirdewan holding flowers, smiling

Activist Carola Rackete (left) and party co-chair Martin Schirdewan holding flowers, smiling

Germany's socialist Left Party fights for survival

The post-communist Left Party is trying to reinvent itself as a viable political force in today's Germany.

Porträt Sahra Wagenknecht

Porträt Sahra Wagenknecht

Germany: Left Party to disband parliamentary faction

The unusual move follows the recent resignation of Sahra Wagenknecht to form her own new party.

Sahra Wagenknecht, her dark hair up and wearing pendant earrings, against a red background

Sahra Wagenknecht, her dark hair up and wearing pendant earrings, against a red background

Is Germany's Left Party on the brink of collapse?

The socialist Left Party is in trouble: one of its most prominent figures wants to start her own political movement.

Sahra Wagenknecht at protest against sending weapons to Ukraine in Berlin

Sahra Wagenknecht at protest against sending weapons to Ukraine in Berlin

Germany's Left calls on controversial lawmaker to quit party

The party is calling on Sahra Wagenknecht to give up her seat after saying she wants to found a new party.

Boris Palmer holding his mouth

Boris Palmer holding his mouth

The rogues' gallery of German politics

Here's the DW gallery of political rogues that have caused their party leaders the biggest headaches.

A pro-Russia rally in Frankfurt

A pro-Russia rally in Frankfurt

Kremlin influencing anti-war coalition in Germany: report

Documents shed light on Russia's attempt to minimize Germany's support for Ukraine.

Alice Schwarzer, women's rights activist, and Sahra Wagenknecht (Die Linke), stand on stage at the demonstration.

Alice Schwarzer, women's rights activist, and Sahra Wagenknecht (Die Linke), stand on stage at the demonstration.

Germany: Left Party, Wagenknecht clash after 'peace' rally

The Left Party and Sahra Wagenknecht continued trading blows after her contentious weekend "peace" rally in Berlin.

Demonstrators in Berlin

Demonstrators in Berlin

Thousands in Berlin attend 'naive' Ukraine peace rally

The Rebellion for Peace protest has been criticized for playing into Russian President Vladimir Putin's hands.

Four heads. upper: Sahra Wagenknecht (l),Thilo Sarazzin, lower: Boris Palmer (l), Hans-Georg Maaßen,

Four heads. upper: Sahra Wagenknecht (l),Thilo Sarazzin, lower: Boris Palmer (l), Hans-Georg Maaßen,

Germany's unruliest political rogues

All German political parties have a politician who annoys party leaders by making outrageous statements.

Sahra Wagenknecht of Germany's Left party

Sahra Wagenknecht of Germany's Left party

Could Germany see a new left-wing coalition?

Outgoing Left party icon Sahra Wagenknecht was long seen as standing in the way of a broad left-wing German coalition.

Berlin - Sahra Wagenknecht - Fraktionsvorsitzende von Die Linke

Berlin - Sahra Wagenknecht - Fraktionsvorsitzende von Die Linke

German Left's Wagenknecht to stand down

German leftist icon Sahra Wagenknecht says from September she will no longer lead the Left party's Bundestag lawmakers.

Author Bernd Stegemann, Wagenknecht and Volmer at launch of Aufstehen

Author Bernd Stegemann, Wagenknecht and Volmer at launch of Aufstehen

Leftist movement launched in Germany

Prominent leftist politician Sahra Wagenknecht has launched a cross-party movement in Germany, but faces skepticism.

Sarah Wagenknecht speaking with microphone

Sarah Wagenknecht speaking with microphone

German leftists brace for Aufstehen movement

Tens of thousands have vowed support for the movement, which could present a leftist case for limiting migration.

Sahra Wagenknecht, Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger

Sahra Wagenknecht, Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger

Left Party calls for 'open borders'

Germany's Left Party socialist congress has backed its leaders in a call for open borders for refugees.

Sarah Wagenknecht, Christian Lindner, Alice Weidel

Sarah Wagenknecht, Christian Lindner, Alice Weidel

Good looks win votes

A Düsseldorf sociologists' study has found that good looks win over voters. Top was the Left's Sahra Wagenknecht.

Sarah Wagenknecht & Oskar Lafontaine

Sarah Wagenknecht & Oskar Lafontaine

A new dawn for Germany's left?

The co-founder of the Left party has called for a new alliance to catapult the left wing into power.

Sarah Wagenknecht

Sarah Wagenknecht

The Left party's leading figure

With her rhetoric swinging between pacifism and populism, where does the Left party's top candidate really stand?

Sahra Wagenknecht im DW Interview Jaafar Abdul-Karim Ines Pohl

Sahra Wagenknecht im DW Interview Jaafar Abdul-Karim Ines Pohl

Wagenknecht 'wants no part in shaping predatory capitalism'

Sahra Wagenknecht, the Left Party's top candidate says she would be willing to join a coalition government.

Symbolbild Manager Gehalt

Symbolbild Manager Gehalt

Germany's SPD out to cap CEO salaries

The SPD, currently in government with Merkel, is busy making social justice a key plank of its election campaign.

Sarah Wagenknecht of "Die Linke"

Sarah Wagenknecht of "Die Linke"

Wagenknecht calls for security union with Russia

The parliamentary leader of Germany's largest opposition party has urged the dissolution of NATO.

Deutschland Generaldebatte im Bundestag zum Haushalts-Etat 2017 Sahra Wagenknecht

Deutschland Generaldebatte im Bundestag zum Haushalts-Etat 2017 Sahra Wagenknecht

Wagenknecht says Merkel to blame for Berlin terror

The Left party's parliamentary chairwoman causes a stir once again - particularly in her own camp.

Deutschland Sahra Wagenknecht und Dietmar Bartsch Plenarsitzung Berlin

Deutschland Sahra Wagenknecht und Dietmar Bartsch Plenarsitzung Berlin

German Left party unveils candidates

The biggest opposition party in the Bundestag has presented its two leading candidates for the 2017 election.

Deutschland Viernheim Kino Geiselnahme

Deutschland Viernheim Kino Geiselnahme

Violent attacks cause political fallout in Berlin

The spate of highly publicized violent incidents in Germany have drawn new security demands from Bavarian politicians.

Die Linke party conference

Die Linke party conference

New direction for 'Die Linke'

The "Die Linke" conference has come to an end, with the party positioning itself in opposition to other parties.