Power struggle in the Thuringian BSW - regional heads intervene

The power struggle within the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance is coming to a head: the BSW heads of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are calling for a separation of government and party offices, thereby opposing the current head of the Thuringian state association.

Neighboring state associations in favor of separation

In order to adequately represent the interests of citizens, a distanced and critical exchange between parliamentary and party work is needed, the head of the BSW in Saxony, Sabine Zimmermann, told the German Press Agency in Erfurt. "Accordingly, we would not have had dual functions of party and ministerial offices in the long term if we had joined a government."

John Lucas Dittrich, state chairman of the BSW in Saxony-Anhalt, said it made sense to clearly separate party offices and public offices. "This strengthens the necessary control and makes it possible to represent the positions of the BSW clearly and independently to a state government."

Rivals for Thuringian chairpersons

In the neighboring state of Thuringia, a tussle is brewing for the leadership positions in the BSW state association, in which the federal party is also involved. The current state party leaders Katja Wolf and Steffen Schütz want to run again at the state party conference on April 26 in Gera. However, they must reckon with competition: Thuringian BSW MP Anke Wirsing announced her intention to run for the party chairmanship and presented a team of fellow campaigners.

Christian Leye, Secretary General of the federal party, promptly backed Wirsing's team. Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht also intervened and told Stern: "I had assumed that there had long been a consensus in Thuringia to separate party and government office, which makes sense."

Prime Minister speaks out

Wolf and Schütz are not only state party leaders, but also ministers in Germany's first Brombeer state government made up of the CDU, BSW and SPD. In addition, both still hold a seat in the state parliament. There are also members in the Thuringian BSW who are critical of government participation itself - it is unclear how a change at the top of the Thuringian BSW would affect the governing coalition. The influence of the federal party in Thuringia could grow.

Meanwhile, Thuringia's Minister President and CDU state leader Mario Voigt also commented: "I am convinced that the members of the BSW will democratically decide the right path for Thuringia and for the BSW Thuringia," he told the German Press Agency.