Following the election in Saxony-Anhalt, there is no clear governing coalition because the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) with its 44% share of the vote has fallen just short of securing an absolute majority. That means the formation of a new government in one of Germany's 16 federal states is more difficult than ever. This is also partly due to the success that the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which was founded only in 2024, has managed to achieve. Wagenknecht, a trained economist, was a longtime member of the socialist Left Party, formerly a communist who over time has distanced herself further from her political roots. Her party does not conform to traditional labels. Many people can no longer relate much to labels like "left" or "right," she says.
From the very beginning, Wagenknecht also showed no reluctance to engage with the AfD. Her long-held credo has been that the party includes people who are treated unfairly if labeled as Nazis.What next after far-right AfD win in regional election?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Now, Sahra Wagenknecht and her followers are working towards seeking common ground with the AfD and can even imagine helping the party's lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund into the role of state premier by abstaining from the vote. Wagenknecht mentioned this scenario before the September 6 election.
