Wagenknecht's New Commission Aims to Redefine BSW's Political Future
April 29, 2026, 1:01 PM
Berlin. The struggling Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is seeking to develop new political priorities. A newly established Commission on Core Values will explicitly avoid interfering in "internal party negotiations," according to founding documents obtained by Der Spiegel. Instead, its members will provide advisory support for the BSW's programmatic development.
The commission is part of a broader restructuring within the BSW. At the end of last year, Sahra Wagenknecht stepped down as party leader but announced she would head the new body—a move allowing her to retain influence over the party's direction. She has described the commission as a "real wild card," one that will help counter "the often hysterical, ideologically narrow political debates in Germany with well-considered solutions," Wagenknecht told Der Spiegel.
Her 13-member panel includes prominent intellectuals such as Thilo Bode, founder of the consumer advocacy group Foodwatch, author Volker Braun, and writer Daniela Dahn. Time is short for bold ideas: regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are set for September.
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