Wagenknecht's AfD Strategy Deepens BSW Internal Crisis

Sahra Wagenknecht's approach to the AfD is exacerbating internal conflicts within her party, BSW (Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht). Numerous district chairpersons have resigned in protest. A co-founder of the party has now also taken a clear stance against Wagenknecht's strategy. The BSW leadership shares a view with the Economist magazine that the growing support for the AfD is a result of the 'firewall' policy (Brandmauer) and that this policy has failed. However, Wagenknecht's conclusion from this thesis is controversial even among the party's founders. Wagenknecht and the federal leadership state they will not support either a CDU or an AfD minister-president if BSW enters the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt. Yet, they aim to break the firewall by proposing a non-partisan minister-president who would govern with changing majorities. This proposal has led to internal strife, with resignations and public disagreements. The article, published on Freitag, discusses the possibility that a second chance for BSW seems unlikely.