Sahra Wagenknecht Faces Political Challenges Ahead of German Federal Election

Her party, Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), struggles to surpass the 5% threshold as court upholds ARD's exclusion of Wagenknecht from key debate.

Sahra Wagenknecht's new party, Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), faces uncertainty as it hovers around the 5% threshold required to enter the Bundestag in the February 23 election.
The North Rhine-Westphalian Oberverwaltungsgericht ruled that the ARD's decision to exclude Wagenknecht from its 'Wahlarena' debate was lawful, citing BSW's low polling figures.
Wagenknecht's campaign focuses on a mix of leftist and conservative positions, including calls to end military support for Ukraine and stricter immigration controls, but struggles to gain traction nationally.
While BSW retains support in eastern Germany, where its anti-war stance resonates, it faces increasing competition from Die Linke, Wagenknecht's former party, which is gaining momentum under new leadership.
The exclusion from 'Wahlarena' highlights broader challenges for smaller parties in German media coverage, with BSW arguing it undermines electoral fairness.