[Domestic Policy] Shape the BSW - The German press does not want an opposition

In the past the established press has repeatedly spread various allegations against members of the AfD. Markus Frohnmaier (AfD) and Maximilian Krah (AfD) were directly or indirectly accused of espionage, Petr Bystom (AfD) was accused of corruption and a whole campaign was carried out against the AfD because of the events in Potsdam. In addition to the opposing AfD Germany now has another party the BSW, that is promoting a change in policy. At the same time however there are increasing signs of negative reporting by the established press against the BSW.

Early after the state elections and during the coalition negotiations in Thuringia the reporting by the established media on the BSW and the coalition partner CDU differed greatly. The objections and demands of Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) to the Thuringian state elections were always reported negatively. In contrast the Thuringian top candidate Katja Wolf (BSW) was reported positively. Wagenknecht's (BSW) objections and demands mainly concerned commitments to peace, to diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and against the stationing of US medium-range missiles in Germany. This was not agreed in the coalition agreement between BSW, SPD and CDU and the rest of the coalition agreement is no better. [1] [2] When the candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) made clear specifications as to who the CDU could and could not form a coalition with in Thuringia it was reported positively. Merz (CDU) immediately banned the proposal by former general secretary Mario Czaja (CDU) to form a coalition with the Left Party. As a result of the coalition negotiations Merz (CDU) was certified by his party as being on the direct path to becoming a candidate for chancellor. And this was also uncritically spread by the established media. [3] [4]
[Domestic Policy] BSW Coalition in Thuringia - What is not

If the goals of BSW and AFD coincide then both are working towards the same goals. This is regularly exemplified in the processing of the Corona pandemic. In Brandenburg the BSW and SPD voted for the establishment of an inquiry commission. Although there have already been two inquiry commissions in Brandenburg this time a Corona amnesty law is also to be examined which aims to provide retroactive immunity from prosecution for violations of certain rules. And in Saxony the BSW and AfD voted for the establishment of an investigative committee. The BSW voted with the AfD although the BSW prefers an inquiry commission and had previously failed with such a proposal. [5] [6] [7]

When the MP Sven Hornauf (BSW) voted in the interests of the AfD in the Brandenburg state parliament there was immediate negative reporting. There was talk of a divided parliamentary group and party. The vote was about a possible exclusion of AfD MPs from the Parliamentary Control Commission for the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz). The established press even spoke of Hornauf (BSW) being excluded from his party. However this has not happened so far. [8] [9] [10] It is striking that in Thuringia the BSW federal association was criticized and the BSW state association was defended. In Brandenburg on the other hand a dispute is being created within the BSW state association. And the coalition agreement in Brandenburg between the BSW and the SPD is much closer to the BSW party line.
[Domestic Policy] BSW Coalition in Brandenburg - What is possible

And if one compares the state elections with the federal elections then the BSW lost very differently in the states. As a result it is precisely the BSW in Thuringia that lost the most votes after the state elections in 2024.

	State Elections (Landtagswahl) 2024	Federal Election (Bundestagswahl) 2025	Verlust
Thuringia	15,8%	9,4%	- 41%
Brandenburg	13,5%	10,7%	- 21%
Saxony	11,0%	9,0%	- 24%

The suspicion therefore arises that the BSW's losses in the federal elections depend on the quality of the coalition agreements. The positive reporting from the BSW federal association in Thuringia and the negative reporting from the BSW federal association in Brandenburg seems more like an attempt by the established press to shape an opposition. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Src:
[1] Autoritäre Auswüchse beim BSW - Lenin lässt grüßen 2024-10-30
https://taz.de/Autoritaere-Auswuechse-beim-BSW/!6042786/
[2] Partei in Thüringen hält zu Merz - CDU findet "Wagenknechts Forderungen immer abenteuerlicher" 2024-10-21
https://www.n-tv.de/politik/CDU-findet-Wagenknechts-Forderungen-immer-abenteuerlicher-article25304190.html
[3] Nach Wahlerfolgen im Osten - Unionspolitiker stärken Merz für Kanzlerkandidatur 2024-09-02
https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Unionspolitiker-staerken-Merz-fuer-Kanzlerkandidatur-article25197324.html
[4] Debatte über Thüringen - Mit Linkspartei zusammenarbeiten? Friedrich Merz erteilt Forderung von Czaja Absage 2024-10-27
https://www.rnd.de/politik/friedrich-merz-keine-zusammenarbeit-mit-linkspartei-in-thueringen-ET72HFQSURGQ5E7Q3VWDS2CNJA.html
[5] Lehren aus der Corona-Pandemie - Corona-Amnestie und Pandemie-Reserve: Das ist der Plan für Brandenburgs Enquete-Kommission 2025-01-14
https://www.maz-online.de/brandenburg/straffreiheit-fuer-corona-verstoesse-brandenburg-setzt-enquete-kommission-ein-K2XPFPBOCRH5PMUZAUV4XRRGG4.html
[6] BSW stimmt mit AfD: U-Ausschuss zur Corona-Pandemie kommt 2024-10-25
https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen/landtag-corona-untersuchung-ausschuss-afd-bsw-102.html
[7] AfD und BSW erzwingen Untersuchungsausschuss in Sachsen 2025-03-06
https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/video255623930/Corona-Aufarbeitung-AfD-und-BSW-erzwingen-Untersuchungsausschuss-in-Sachsen.html
[8] Fraktion prüft Ausschluss - BSW-Abgeordneter Hornauf stimmt im Landtag erstmals für AfD-Antrag2025-02-27
https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2025/02/bsw-mitglied-regierungsfraktion-landtag-afd-abstimmung.html
[9] Hornauf legt Widersprüche der Koalition offen 2025-02-28
https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2025/02/kommentar-hornauf-koalition-spd-bsw-brandenburg.html
[10] Eklat in Brandenburg: BSW-Abgeordneter Hornauf stimmt für AfD-Antrag 2025-02-27
https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/brandenburg/geheimdienst-bsw-abgeordneter-stimmt-fur-afd-antrag-fraktion-berat-13283710.html
[11] Bundestagswahl 2025
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundestagswahl_2025
[12] Landtagswahl Thüringen 2024
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landtagswahl_in_Th%C3%BCringen_2024
[13] Landtagswahl Brandenburg 2024
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landtagswahl_in_Brandenburg_2024
[14] Landtagswahl Sachsen 2024
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landtagswahl_in_Sachsen_2024