Wagenknecht's BSW opens talks with AfD in Saxony-Anhalt after election upset

Three days after the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a historic landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt state elections on September 6, 2026, the BSW party of Sahra Wagenknecht has agreed to hold preliminary talks with the AfD on topics including energy supply, education, and peace policy.

BSW holds the balance of power

Despite winning only 5.3% of the vote, BSW holds a potential kingmaker role in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament because no other viable coalition without AfD involvement exists. AfD top candidate Ulrich Siegmund could become minister-president with BSW's support, making him the first AfD state leader in Germany.

All other parties in the parliament have refused to hold talks with the AfD, which is classified by Germany's domestic intelligence service as a confirmed right-wing extremist party. BSW regional leader Thomas Schulze said the refusal by other parties to talk to the AfD was not a good sign for democratic culture in our country.

Wagenknecht's controversial political journey

Sahra Wagenknecht, 57, founded the BSW in January 2024 after leaving Die Linke, where she had been a prominent figure for years. The former East German academic has moved steadily away from her communist roots, embracing positions that blur traditional left-right divisions on issues such as migration and Russia policy. Her willingness to engage with AfD marks another controversial step in her political evolution.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU suffered heavy losses in Saxony-Anhalt, having governed the state continuously since 2002. The election results have added pressure on Merz, who has pledged to maintain a firewall against any coalition with the AfD at the federal level.