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AfD and BSW: Power struggle in the East is coming to a head!
Political rapprochement between AfD and BSW in Brandenburg: Strategies, goals and possible effects in eastern Germany.
AfD and BSW: Power struggle in the East is coming to a head!
Things are simmering politically in Germany - especially in the East, where the... Picture reported on an increasing rapprochement between the AfD and the Alliance for Social Justice (BSW). These political actors are not only looking for common ground, but also for opportunities to gain influence and come to power. The conversations between leaders of both parties show a remarkable openness that could shape the political landscape.
In cities and communities in Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the distinction between the AfD and the CDU is increasingly blurred. Rumors that the BSW could act as a possible partner of the AfD are increasing. And while the CDU wants to distance itself from the AfD, the next election is already approaching: in 2026, the votes of these two parties in Saxony-Anhalt could reach a veritable 38%. In Thuringia and Brandenburg the values are even higher – 41% and 46%, respectively.
Corona Committee and political cooperation
A concrete example of this cooperation is the recent vote in the Saxony state parliament. MPs from ZDF and AfD voted together for a committee of inquiry into the corona pandemic, a matter that is considered to be a matter of minority law. The AfD pushed through a motion here for which it needed at least 24 votes - in fact there were 40 MPs who supported their motion.
But the joint activities are not limited to parliamentary motions. In Thuringia, the AfD and BSW agreed on a joint committee to review Corona policy. BSW chairwoman Sabine Zimmermann criticized the AfD for its past inaction, but the AfD likes to eat rolls on Sundays and makes the best use of the current economic misery to generate votes.
Contrasts and similarities
Although the AfD is often viewed as extreme right-wing and the BSW as left-wing populist, there are only minor differences between the two parties on key issues such as migration and climate policy. NOZ notes that both parties present themselves as alternatives to the established political system and capitalize on voter dissatisfaction. The AfD under its chairman Tino Chrupalla is particularly keen to change the majority and expand its influence in the upcoming state elections.
In this sensitive political climate, there are considerations as to how the AfD could try to increase its number of voters - possibly at the expense of the BSW. The coming months promise exciting and possibly chaotic developments in German politics.