BSW regional associations should take on more responsibility

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is taking heart after its failure to enter the Bundestag. Now the regional associations should take on more responsibility. "This is not a claim to power, but a responsibility that we have," said Thuringian BSW leader Katja Wolf. With 4.97 percent, the BSW narrowly missed out on a place in the Bundestag.

BSW founder Wagenknecht left open whether she would remain at the head of her young party. This will now be discussed in the committees, she said in Berlin. In any case, the BSW will continue as a party.

The Thuringian Wolf herself has said that she is not seeking a position in the federal party. Her place is in Thuringia, she told Der Spiegel. "The federal committees must take their time to decide how to proceed in terms of personnel."

Thuringian BSW wants to play a greater role in terms of content

According to Wolf, the party wants to establish a broad base in Thuringia and create structures step by step. The Thuringian state association will primarily be involved in developing the program and "strengthening the content" and sees a responsibility there. "It was clear that, as a very, very young party, we still have deficits in this area and the voters have obviously noticed this."

More influence of the state associations

The BSW is represented by a parliamentary group in the state parliaments of Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg. In Thuringia and Brandenburg, it is involved in the state governments. These state associations would now "be the strong voice of the BSW", said Thuringian co-chair Steffen Schütz. How exactly the party intends to influence federal politics from these three states is now being discussed with the federal executive board.

BSW Brandenburg sees itself as an anchor

"We are now an anchor for the party, that is quite clear," said Brandenburg BSW state managing director Stefan Roth, denying any negative consequences for the coalition at state level: "We were given a mandate in the state elections. We are working." He did not see the state government being called into question in any way. Roth answered the question of how long the BSW will continue to exist as follows: "For a very long time - we will be very successful in the state parliaments and in the next Bundestag."

The BSW in Saxony does not believe that the party will come to an end

In Saxony, the BSW did not see any serious effects of the failure in the Bundestag elections on the work of the state association. The party has its own state executive committee, its own statutes and is economically independent, explained deputy party leader Ronny Kupke in Dresden. "I don't believe that this is the end of the BSW." The party is needed, even if it is not enough for the Bundestag now.

It is still unclear in Saxony what role Sahra Wagenknecht, the party's namesake, will play in the future. According to Kupke, she has a strong appeal. With the founding of the BSW state associations, strong personalities would first have to make a name for themselves there. This will now be the task with the establishment of district associations.

The BSW also wants to tackle this task in Saxony-Anhalt, where the next state elections are due in 2026. "Our goal remains clear: to offer people a strong political alternative," said co-state head Thomas Schulze.

Sociologist: BSW's "underdog role" no longer works

Sociologist Matthias Quent believes that the BSW's previous successes in eastern Germany and its government participation in Brandenburg and Thuringia are one of the reasons why the party's "underdog role" no longer works. "This resistance habitus that characterized Sahra Wagenknecht and her party has been lost a bit."