The Wagenknecht System

In January 2024, a new party was launched to great media attention: the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance), or BSW for short. Beyond the SED successors, it was intended to establish a more realistic, partially conservative left. Initial electoral successes seemed to prove them right. Author Dr. Friedrich Pürner was a party member until 2025 and entered the European Parliament for the BSW in 2024. The physician was previously head of the health department in Bavaria and became known for his criticism of Corona policy. Here he offers a rare insight into the inner workings of this new party. It's about new beginnings, loyalty, and power – and swift disillusionment. Because behind the scenes, centralized decision-making structures, a tightly controlled leadership style, and strict internal party thought patterns prevail. Numerous former Left Party members firmly hold the reins, shaping the party according to their ideological ideas and eyeing offices and positions that were previously unattainable for them. Pürner describes his experiences in the 2024 European election campaign and reports on internal tensions from the outset, high expectations, and a questionable handling of criticism or dissenting opinions. The result is a very personal report from within a political project – and a contribution to the question of how much intra-party democracy new parties actually permit.


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