BSW Faces Turmoil as Hamburg Hosts Two Competing Party Chapters

The official BSW Hamburg chapter was established, but an earlier unsanctioned faction challenges its legitimacy, raising potential election risks.

The Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) officially formed its Hamburg chapter, the last missing state-level organization, with Jochen Brack and Konstantin Eulenburg elected as co-leaders.
A rival faction, led by Dejan Lazic and Alexander Konstantinov, had already formed an unsanctioned chapter a week earlier, which the BSW federal leadership deems invalid.
Conflicts during the official meeting included police intervention to address disputes over candidate participation and allegations of procedural irregularities by the rival group.
The existence of two competing chapters could jeopardize BSW's ability to field candidates in Hamburg for both the state and federal elections, with legal challenges anticipated.
BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht reiterated plans to rename the party after the February 2025 Bundestag election, maintaining the BSW acronym while broadening its identity.