AfD dinner at "Compact": Wagenknecht calls it "completely out of line"
After a joint dinner with AfD politicians in Magdeburg, the BSW group in Saxony-Anhalt backtracks. Founder Wagenknecht is sharply critical, and Varwick demands a change of course.
Archive image · Photo: Ralf Roletschek (talk) - Infos über Fahrräder auf fahrradmonteur.de / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (cropped and resized)
The BSW group in Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament has called its attendance at a dinner with AfD politicians at the opening of a "Compact" TV studio in Magdeburg a mistake. "It was unwise to also stay for the dinner afterwards. We regret the mistake; this will not happen again," deputy group leader Claudia Wittig told "Der Spiegel". The day before, she had defended the meeting on X. All five BSW lawmakers attended the event on 8 October; AfD guests included state parliament speaker Tobias Rausch and group leader Oliver Kirchner.
Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht told "Der Spiegel": "Joint dinners are completely out of line." Talking to all parties in parliament is right, however, she said. Johannes Varwick, a member of the BSW's core values commission, wrote on X: "I expect the federal party to hold a debate on its course and correct it." Germany's domestic intelligence service classifies Compact-Magazin GmbH as confirmed right-wing extremist. AfD and BSW have tabled a joint motion against Russia sanctions in the Magdeburg parliament, due to be debated at a special session on 14 October.