Anti-immigration leftists have potential to upend German political scene

State election results for Sahra Wagenknecht Allianz mean Russia-leaning populists could play decisive role

It was, Sahra Wagenknecht declared on the social media platform X on Sunday, a historic result" achieved from almost a standing start. Within eight months, her leftwing-conservative Sahra Wagenknecht Allianz (BSW) has gone from an upstart party of breakaway populists to a decisive player with the potential to upend the German political scene.

The BSW party's third place position in state elections in the eastern states of Thuringia (16%) and Saxony (12%), behind the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), now puts it in the position of kingmaker.