Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the left-wing populist Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) party, has said her movement would do everything possible to prevent the Christian Democrats (CDU) from retaining power in the eastern German State of Saxony-Anhalt, even if that requires cooperation with the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD).
In an interview with Apollo News, Wagenknecht said her priority was preventing the election of another CDU minister-president in the State.
“We want to do everything we can to ensure that there is no new CDU minister-president in Saxony-Anhalt,” she said.
Rather than a traditional coalition government, Wagenknecht proposed backing a non-partisan candidate. “Our goal is a non-partisan minister-president,” she said. “We want all parties and all forces to be included.”
She added that a party receiving 30 or 40 per cent of the vote should not be excluded from political influence.
The comments come as polls suggest the AfD is on track to emerge as the strongest party in the State election scheduled for September 6, 2026.
Wagenknecht said eastern Germany could serve as a testing ground for a “new form of democracy” built around expert-led governance rather than traditional party politics.
The CDU has warned that an AfD-led government could damage the State’s economy, investment climate and reputation.
The debate reflects a broader theme in German politics. Despite its growing electoral success, the AfD is excluded from governing arrangements by mainstream parties.
