Unease as Russia-friendly ‘queen of the elections’ aims for more German poll success

Some see Sahra Wagenknecht's brand of left conservatism' as a bulwark against AfD but others see reasons to be wary

Sahra Wagenknecht is not even on the ballot in the upcoming state election in Brandenburg. But her face is plastered on billboards across the sprawling, largely rural northern state that surrounds Berlin.

There she hopes her fledgling Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) will repeat the successes it enjoyed in polls in Thuringia and Saxony earlier this month, where it came third with vote shares in the double figures, performing so well that it is now a kingmaker for any possible coalition in either state.