Wagenknecht‘s BSW Rebrands, Founder steps Back in Wake of Narrow Election Defeat
Berlin – The political party founded in 2024 by Sahra Wagenknecht is undergoing a significant overhaul, including a name change and the founder’s departure from the leadership. The move comes after the party narrowly failed to clear the five percent threshold in the 2025 Bundestagswahl, despite recent gains in regional elections. While initially leveraging Wagenknecht’s personal brand for recognition, party leadership now asserts the rebrand is a strategic step toward long-term sustainability and broader appeal.
The decision to alter the party’s identity reflects a broader repositioning effort following a period of initial success and subsequent setbacks. Wagenknecht herself acknowledged the challenges facing the party, stating, “We are in the most tough phase in our party’s history,” while together criticizing both the governing coalition and established opposition parties. The party’s future direction, including its ambitions for potential participation in government, is now the subject of internal debate.
Wagenknecht, who proposed the new name, is stepping down from a leading role but signaled her continued involvement in German politics, declaring, “Even with me in German politics, they will have to reckon with me for a long time to come.” The party has already achieved representation in the governments of Thuringia and Brandenburg, and secured initial victories in the 2024 European Parliament and state elections in Thuringia, Brandenburg, and Saxony.
Despite these regional successes,the near miss in the federal election prompted a reevaluation of strategy.Wagenknecht framed her party as a unique force resisting a perceived return to outdated policies, asserting, “We are the only political force that consistently opposes the path of others back into a past long thought overcome.” She also claimed the party is facing opposition from “ruling elites” consequently. A request to recount votes from the Bundestagswahl was recently denied.
